RWBY: A Neo Outlook on Life
by Novandalis
Summary: After Roman's arrest at the end of Volume 2, Cinder doesn't take kindly to Neo's failure to protect him, and sends her to the street. Now Neo has nowhere to go, but it's not long before an amazing opportunity is presented, and she's more than willing to take it. But will her past and inner demons keep her from the life she wants? Rated M for violence, language, and adult content.
1. Chapter 1: A Change of Heart

**Update: The most common critique I've gotten is a lack of conflict in this chapter. Don't worry, there's plenty of conflict in the next few chapters, and a lot more to come. This is more of an introduction to let you see if you like my writing style and where the story is heading. Also, for those wondering why Neo seems a little different at the start than the way she's portrayed in the show, just give it until the end of chapter three and all of your concerns and questions should be answered. Enjoy!**

**Update 2: So obviously there are things I got wrong since this was written before Volume 3 was even announced. I've done my best to account for it in the sequel, but there are things that are going to different. Hopefully that doesn't take too much away from your enjoyment of the story. (:**

Chapter 1: A Change of Heart

The city of Vale quickly returned to normal only a few days following the events leading to Roman's arrest. Thanks to the efforts of teams RWBY, JNPR and CFVY, it was as if nothing had ever happened. People roamed the streets with their usual hurry, except for one lonely girl, who wandered the streets for no reason other than she had nowhere to go. It was particularly windy today, constantly blowing the girl's pink and brown hair into her face, where it stuck to her tear stained cheeks. Her right arm was in a sling, and her left held her umbrella as she continued to meander down the sidewalks. In her mind, she kept replaying the events of the previous day in the hope that somehow it would take her back there. Cinder hadn't taken lightly to her letting Yang survive their fight on the train, and blamed her for the plan's premature execution, failure and Roman's arrest. Their argument became a physical fight, ending with Cinder nearly killing Neo, injuring her arm, and expelling her from the organisation.

'_What do I do now?_' she thought. _'This is all I've ever known... I have nowhere else to go, no one to turn to..._' Another tear welled in her eye at the thought of being completely alone now. She turned her gaze to the ground and continued to walk, replaying the memory once again. She was brought out of her thoughts when she collided with a girl walking the opposite way, the force nearly sending the small girl on her back.

"Hey, watch where you're walking!" shouted an irritated, yet eerily familiar voice.

Neo kept her eyes on the sidewalk, "Sorry, miss." She hurried off to avoid anymore attention, but the girl called out to her again.

"Hey, wait, you're that girl from the train!"

Neo froze as she put a face to the voice, and slowly spun around to see a furious Yang, with Blake by her side. '_Oh shit, I need to leave now!_' she thought in a panic, and took off sprinting down a nearby alley.

"Come back here!" Yang yelled after her, giving chase along with her partner. Neo was in no condition to fight anyone, let alone the pair she was up against, and continued to dash through the narrow pathways in search of somewhere to hide. She turned to look back at her pursuers as she rounded a corner, and was immediately met by a chain link fence when she faced forward again. She ran into it full force, knocking her to the ground just as Blake and Yang arrived to corner her. "Not so tough now are you?" Yang asked, a wicked smile forming after seeing the look of fear in Neo's eyes.

"Wait, I can explain!" Neo desperately exclaimed, backing up against the fence as the blonde slowly walked towards her.

Yang smirked, "I don't really wanna hear it. Last time we met you tried to kill me, so I'm just returning the favour." The brawler's eyes glowed red as she armed her gauntlets. Neo stood up, her back still against the fence, and peladingly looked to Blake to stop her partner. The Faunus only glared back, not making any effort to intervene. Yang pulled her arm back for a punch, and Neo covered her face with her uninjured arm.

"No, please! I don't work for them anymore!" she cried out and shut her eyes. She braced herself for the blow, but to her surprise it never came. Either that or dying wasn't as painful as she'd thought it would be. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes and lowered her arm, and saw Yang staring back with a sceptical expression, her arm still poised to strike.

"What do you mean?" the blonde asked, lowering her arm. Blake walked over with the same sceptical look as her partner, and Neo started to explain.

"After Roman was arrested, I was blamed for the train leaving early because I didn't protect him well enough," she said, and then gestured to her injured arm. "We got into an argument, then it got physical, and... now I'm on my own." Her gaze turned to the ground again. "I've got nothing..."

Yang was still suspicious, but Blake's face had softened after hearing the girl's tale. Yang went to speak, but Blake's hand on her shoulder stopped her. "I think she's telling the truth," the Faunus girl said.

Yang turned to her with a bit of shock, "You'd believe her that easily?"

"I don't think she'd be casually strolling through Vale if she wasn't. But we can find out for sure if you'd like."

"How?" Yang asked.

Blake turned back to Neo, who'd sat back down on the ground. She was staring off at nothing, once again on the verge of crying. "Who blamed you?" Blake asked.

Neo looked up, confused, "What?"

"You said someone blamed you and did that to your arm. Who was it?" the Faunus girl repeated.

Neo slowly returned to her feet, "Her name is Cinder. She raised me since I was little."

Blake turned to Yang with a smug grin. "I don't think she'd admit that if she were lying," she said, and Yang shrugged.

"I'm still not convinced," the blonde replied, then turned back to Neo. "Where were you walking to?"

Neo shook her head, "Nowhere I guess. I don't really know what to do now. I was just sorta hoping for... I-I don't even know..."

"Well, what do you want to do now?" Blake asked, catching Neo by surprise.

"I... Well... I don't know. I've never not had someone giving me orders."

Blake shared a look with Yang, who gave an exasperated sigh. "You can't be serious," the blonde groaned, crossing her arms.

"Everyone deserves a second chance, Yang. I wouldn't be here if that weren't true," Blake replied.

Yang sighed and admitted defeat, although she was far from happy about it. "Fine. But if anything happens, it's on you."

Blake rolled her eyes and looked back at Neo, "Why don't you come back to Beacon with us? I'm sure Professor Ozpin will know what to do."

Neo was shocked, "Really? You'd do that?" Blake nodded, and Neo wiped her eyes. "I... I don't know what to say."

"Maybe thank you?" Yang interjected, earning a scowl from her partner.

Neo just smiled and started to blush. "Thank you, thank you so much," she said happily, not even phased by the blonde's sarcasm.

Blake smiled back, "You're welcome. Come on, let's get going."

The three left the alley and started back toward Beacon, with Neo still in shock at Blake's generosity. _'I can't believe she'd be so nice to me. I haven't done anything that would make them inclined at all to believe me. I guess that's why the blonde wasn't as willing to listen,'_ she thought, then frowned. _'What did she say her name was?_'

"So... What're your names?" Neo asked. The girls laughed, realising they'd never been properly introduced.

"I'm Blake, this is my partner, Yang," Blake said, and Yang gave a lackluster wave. "What about you? It starts with an 'N' right?"

"My name's Neopolitan, but I go by Neo. What about the rest of your team? I remember seeing a few others with you before."

"Ruby and Weiss," Yang answered, somewhat dryly. "You can probably guess which is which."

Neo chuckled and looked up at Yang, "I'm sorry about our last encounter, Yang. I hope there aren't any hard feelings?"

The blonde paused to think for a moment. "If you're leaving the rest of your past behind, then I suppose I can leave that behind too," she said, and Neo breathed a sigh of relief. "As long as you promise it won't happen again."

"I promise." They continued toward Beacon, acquainting Neo with the city and the school. She was still surprised at how friendly the two were being, but was more relieved that she was being accepted. They finally arrived at Beacon after the short airship ride up, and Neo couldn't help but be in awe of the school.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Yang asked, and Neo nodded. Before she could say anything, a very energetic voice called out from behind them.

"Hey guys! What've you been up to?" They turned around as Nora skipped up to meet them, followed by a panting Ren.

"Just walking around," Blake answered. "We just got back from town. What about you?"

"We went for a jog," she cheerfully replied.

Ren rolled his eyes, "Nora, that was almost a half marathon."

She stuck her tongue out at him and turned back to the girls. "He's just being a baby. So who's your friend?" Nora asked.

"This is Neo. She's um... visiting from outside the kingdom," Yang replied. "Neo, this is Nora and Ren."

Neo gave a shy smile, "It's nice to meet you."

"Pleasure to meet you too!" Nora said, excitedly shaking Neo's hand. Ren was much calmer, giving a simple nod. "Well, we'd better finish our jog. See ya later guys!"

"WE'RE NOT DONE YET?" Ren shouted as Nora ran off, then grumbled under his breath as he sprinted after her.

Yang giggled and looked at Blake, "Still don't think they'll be a couple?"

"Nope," Blake laughed. "Oh please, she'd kill Ren in a week if they were."

"Why do you say that?" Yang asked. Blake raised her eyebrows a few times, and the brawler eventually caught on to her meaning. "Ohhhh. Yeah, I can see that."

Blake shook her head, "Anyway, let's get to Ozpin's office. It's in this building over here." They continued to walk finally arrived at Ozpin's office. The elevator was reserved for expected guests, and since this wasn't hours, they had to take the long way up. Yang walked over to the door after they ascending the tall, spiral staircase and knocked.

"Come in," echoed a voice from inside. They opened the door and found the professor gazing out over the kingdom from his balcony.

"Good afternoon professor," Blake said.

"Afternoon," he replied, turning to that girls and taking a sip from his coffee mug. "What brings the three of you by?" Neo was a little surprised that he didn't react to seeing her here, but then again he probably didn't even know who she was. She sheepishly stayed behind Blake and Yang as they walked up the the professor's desk, as if she didn't want to draw any attention to herself.

"Well..." Yang started, but wasn't sure how to proceed. She turned her head back to look at Neo, who was still sort of hiding behind her, then to Blake to see if her partner knew what to say.

Ozpin smiled, "Perhaps introductions would help to start us off."

Blake and Yang stepped to the side so that Neo was in view, and she shrank back a little from her nerves. She looked first at the ground, but then brought her gaze up to meet the headmaster's before speaking, "My name's Neopolitan, but you can call me Neo."

"Pleased to meet you Neo. I'm Professor Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon. What brings you to my school?" he asked, taking a seat at his desk.

Neo looked back down at the ground, "I, um... Well... I-"

Yang interrupted, "She's the girl I told you about. The one I fought on the train."

Neo's eyes widened at the statement, and she looked up at Ozpin to see how he'd react. His expression didn't change, and he simply looked to Neo for confirmation. She nodded, and he turned back to Yang. "Interesting," he replied. "I'm assuming that since you've come to me and not the police, you have something else in mind than turning her in?"

Yang nodded, and Neo explained what had happened to Ozpin the same way she had before, the headmaster maintaining the same neutral expression throughout. She finished her story and sighed, "Blake said you might be able to help."

"Perhaps. What is it you're looking to do now?" he asked.

"I... I don't know. I was really only raised to fight. I haven't had much experience out in the world."

Ozpin smiled, "Well, there are careers that utilize that skill on the battlefield. I hear there are entire schools dedicated to training young people like you to for combat."

It took a moment for it to register, but Neo was stunned after she realised what the headmaster was suggesting. What surprised her even more than the comment was that he hadn't even reacted to her background. '_Is he serious? No, he can't be, right? Why would he be so trusting of someone like me?_'

Ozpin continued, "If you've truly left your previous affiliation behind, and are willing to dedicate your life to defending this kingdom, then I'd be more than willing to offer you a place here at this academy. If both Blake and Yang are sufficiently convinced that you have, then I'm inclined to believe them."

Neo's jaw hit the floor, "I... I would be honoured, sir. But, why are you so quick to offer something like that to someone like me?"

"If what Miss Xiao-Long has told me about you is correct, then I know you've more than proven your skill in combat to pass our entrance exams. And, if you've earned her trust after your last encounter, then I'm willing to extend that same trust to you."

Neo was happy beyond words, and couldn't stop a huge smile forming across her lips. "Thank you, thank you professor," she said, and he smiled back.

"But, know that I will be keeping an eye on you, just as a precaution," he replied, and Neo nodded. "I suppose I have some paperwork to put through to have you officially enrolled. For now, you'll tag along as a member of team RWBY until other arrangements can be made. Miss Belladonna, Miss Xiao-Long, see to it she has everything she'll need for her time here."

"No problem. Come on Neo, let's introduce you to the rest of the team. Properly this time," Yang cheered.

"Sounds great," Neo chuckled, and turned back to Ozpin. "Thank you, professor. I promise I won't disappoint you."

He smiled, "I trust you won't. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some work to do." The three girls nodded and departed, heading back to their dorm.

"Do you think the rest of your team will be as accepting of me?" Neo asked once they were back outside.

Blake laughed, "I know Ruby will be, it's Weiss I'd worry about."

"Yeah, but she's... decent once she warms up to you," Yang added, and Neo smiled.

'_I never would've guessed something like this would happen. I really don't deserve this, not after all I've done,' _she thought. _'If they're going to give me this opportunity, I'm sure as hell not going to waste it. I have a chance to turn my life around, and I'm going to. Look out Remnant, here comes a brand new Neo._'


	2. Chapter 2: Meeting the Team

**Hello again! If you're wondering why the this chapter came so quick, it's because I wrote the first couple chapters before I posted the first one, so the next few will be posted once I'm done editing and proofreading. After that, updates will probably be done weekly. I'm happy to see so many people enjoyed the first chapter, so here's hoping chapter two gets the same results! :)**

Chapter 2: Meeting the Team

Before the girl's reached their dorm, they passed the infirmary building, and Yang suggested they go inside to have Neo's arm looked at. Neo was a little hesitant, having never been to a proper doctor, but eventually gave in. Yang went up to the counter to get the required paperwork while Neo and Blake took a seat in the waiting room. Blake noticed Neo's fingers tapping nervously, and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Nervous?" Blake asked. Neo flinched at the contact.

"I guess. I've never been to an actual hospital before."

Blake gave a comforting smile, "Relax, there's nothing to worry about." Neo smiled back, but continued to tap her fingers.

"Okay, you're all set!" Yang announced, taking a set next to Blake. "The doctor should be out soon. Oh, and if they ask if you're a student, say yes, and that you're on team NEMP."

Neo grinned, "Well thanks for making me the leader, but that's the best name you could come up with? What does that even stand for?"

Yang just shrugged and they all shared a laugh. They didn't wait long, only minutes later a tall woman with a white coat and a clipboard came into the room.

"Neopolitan?" she inquired, and Neo stood up. "I'm Dr. Fields, please follow me and we'll take a look at that arm."

"Can my friends come back too?" Neo asked nervously.

"Of course."

"Actually, I think I'll wait out here," Blake said, picking up a magazine from the table. "I hate the smell of hospital rooms."

Yang rolled her eyes, "Suit yourself. Come on Neo." They followed the doctor back to an examining room, and Neo took a seat up on the table. After a few questions and what Neo felt was a little too much poking of her arm, the doctor reached a conclusion.

"Looks like a minor dislocation. It's as simple as popping it back in and you'll feel as good as new," she said with a smile. Neo, however, didn't look as happy.

"How do you pop it back in?" she asked.

The doctor gave Yang a look, and the blonde moved to Neo's left, taking her hand. "Just close your eyes and squeeze my hand," she said, and Neo complied without question.

"Okay, ready?" the doctor asked, taking a firm grip on either side of Neo's elbow. Neo nodded, squeezing Yang's hand a little tighter. "Alright. Three... Two... One..." Neo felt a sharp pain and a pop, followed by a very relaxed feeling in her arm.

"There, that wasn't too bad was it?" Yang asked, patting Neo on the back. Neo flexed her arm and smiled.

"You're right, good as new," she said. They returned to the front to pick up Blake, and resumed the walk back to their room.

"Ready to meet the team?" Blake asked as they approached the dorm building.

"I'm ready to meet them, I'm just afraid of how ready they are to meet me," she answered.

"Trust me, it'll be fine," Yang said as she opened the doors. Neo didn't believe her for a second, but the blonde's positive attitude at least seemed to help. They ascended a few flights of stairs and finally arrived at their door.

'_Alright, here we go..._' Neo thought anxiously.

"Here we are! Team RWBY headquarters!" Yang cheered. Before Neo could respond, the door swung open and a bubbly Ruby stood to greet them.

"Hey guys! You'll never guess what-" Ruby stopped mid sentence when she caught sight of Neo. Her smile was instantly replaced with a look of alarm and confusion.

Yang put her arms out and took a step toward her sister, "Ruby, before you say anything, let me explain-"

"What's she doing here?!" Ruby exclaimed, pulling Crescent Rose to her side. Hearing Ruby shout, Weiss ran up behind her leader to see what the commotion was about, and froze when she saw Neo.

Blake walked in between them and Neo, "Please listen before you freak out. She's not with Roman anymore!"

"Why would you bring her here!?" the heiress shrieked. "Are you trying to get us killed?"

Neo shrank back at Weiss' outburst. She knew this was how they'd react, but she had still been hopeful they would act like the other half of their team. Ruby held her weapon at the ready as Weiss drew Myrtenaster. Neo flinched, not out of fear of the weapons, but of herself. Back in the alley, she couldn't fight back, and so her other side couldn't come out. But now she felt it coming to the surface as a confrontation seemed imminent.

'_Calm down, calm down, this can't happen now,_' she thought in a panic. She focused as hard as she could on keeping her other side from forcing its way out, and breathed a sigh of relief as she finally succeeded. '_Okay, I think I'm good. That was a little too close though. I guess I can forgive Weiss since she's kinda pretty._'

"It's not what you think," Yang said, trying to calm her teammates down. "She's changed. She's on our side now."

Weiss wasn't convinced, "Of course she'd say that now! Roman's in jail and she doesn't want to follow him! How stupid can you-"

Weiss was interrupted by Ruby, who had yet to take her eyes off Neo.

"Hold on Weiss. I want to hear what she has to say." Neo stepped out from behind Blake, and looked Ruby in the eye. "Why are you here?"

Neo started from the beginning, explaining what happened to her after their last encounter on the train, her running into Yang and Blake in town, and the meeting they just had with professor Ozpin. As she finished, Ruby had grown inclined to believe her, but Weiss was still just as suspicious as ever.

"Well... If Yang and Ozpin trust you, then so do I. Welcome aboard!" Ruby cheered, rushing forward to give her new teammate a hug. Weiss, however, was appalled.

"WHAT? You can't be serious! He just let you in? No fact checking, no investigation... No entrance exams!? That's outrageous! And Ruby, you'd believe her just like that?"

Blake sighed, "Weiss, please don't be this way."

"This is ridiculous! I'm going to the police right now and ending this before something happens!"

"Weiss Schnee, don't you dare leave this room!" Ruby shouted, and Weiss turned to her leader with a look of shock.

"Weiss...?" Neo ventured quietly, and all heads turned to her. "Weiss, I don't expect you to trust me given my history. I haven't earned it. To be honest, I'm amazed your teammates trusted me enough to bring me to Ozpin, and that he offered to let me stay here. I know you don't believe me, but I have changed. I've been given this opportunity to turn my life around, and I'm going to take it. Please, give me the chance to prove to you that I'm telling the truth. If you give me a chance, I promise in time I'll earn your trust."

Weiss huffed and crossed her arms. Now all eyes were on her, and she admitted defeat.

"Fine. I'll respect my team and headmaster's judgement, and I'll give you a chance," Weiss said, and Neo smiled. "But, I'll be keeping my eye on you."

"Thank you," Neo replied. She wanted to the give the heiress the same hug the crimson leader had given her, but decided it was probably not the best idea. Instead, she settled on a handshake.

Ruby smiled, "Well, come inside! I still haven't told you the news!"

"What news is that?" Blake asked as they walked into the room.

Weiss groaned, "Let it go, Ruby." Blake raised an eyebrow at the response, and Yang grinned.

"Oooo I know what this gonna be!" the blonde said excitedly and hopped up onto her bed.

"What? How?" Weiss asked.

"Let's call it a hunch," the blonde replied. Blake and Neo turned to Ruby, eager to hear the news.

"Weiss has a date with Neptune next weekend!" the redhead exclaimed with a giggle.

"Ruby! I told you not to make a big deal about it!" Weiss snapped, glaring at her leader. Ruby shrugged and leapt up to her bunk.

"So who asked who?" Yang asked.

Weiss sighed, "You mean 'Who asked whom?', and he asked me if you must know."

"Who's Neptune?" Neo asked. Blake grabbed her scroll off the desk and pulled up a picture of him, then handed it Neo, who shrugged. "Eh, not a fan of his hair."

Yang chuckled, "I don't think you have room to talk about weird hair." Neo suck her tongue out at Yang, who pretended to faint in offense.

"Whatever," Weiss said, seeing the opportunity to change the subject. "So... If Neo's staying here, where is she going to sleep?"

"Um..." Yang started, but didn't have an answer. The girls looked at each other and around the room for a few moments before she had an idea. "I guess she can take my bed for tonight. Rubes, you mind if I bunk with you? We can get another bed in here tomorrow."

"Sounds good to me!" Ruby said from her perch.

"Are you sure?" Neo asked. "I don't want to be in the way."

Yang smiled and turned to Ruby, "Of course! It'll be like when we were kids!"

"Well now that that's settled, I don't know about all of you, but I could use some dinner," Blake chimed in.

'_Dinner already?_' Neo thought and looked outside, surprised to see that it was already getting dark.

"Sounds good to me!" Yang agreed. The others quickly agreed as well and they headed off to the dining hall.

Along the way they ran into team JNPR, who were also headed to dinner. They walked together, and Ruby introduced Neo to the Jaune and Pyrrha. Somehow in the midst of introductions Yang brought up the food fight from the start of the semester, sparking a very heated debate on who bested whom. Neo just listened and laughed.

'_Wow, I wish I had been here for that,_' she thought, smiling to herself. '_I think I'm really going to like it here._' They arrived at the dining hall with Nora the victor of the argument, though only because team RWBY felt another food fight would ensue if she wasn't. Not that Neo would've been opposed. As they entered, team CRDL passed on their way out, and Cardin took notice of of the new addition to team RWBY.

"Whoa, who's the new girl with the freak eyes? What happened, your mom fuck an ice cream cone?" Cardin taunted, getting a laugh from the rest of his team. Neo glared up at the tall boy, easily a foot and a half taller than she was. She took a step forward, but luckily Yang jumped between the two.

"Lay off, Cardin, don't you have a box of puppies to go kick around?" the blonde said angrily, a hint of red in her eyes.

He laughed, "Whatever, let's go guys. We can get to know our new friend better later."

With that, he and his team left the hall, leaving Yang and the rest of the group fuming. "I swear, one of these days I'm gonna snap and kill him," Yang growled.

Neo suppressed a laugh, "Well that was my plan until you stepped in."

"Just ignore him," Blake said sympathetically. "He's not worth it. Come on, let's have a nice dinner." Blake was right, and they got in line at the buffet, the smell of all the food instantly reminded Neo of how hungry she as. She loaded her tray until she almost couldn't carry it. She set it down with a thud at the table, turning all heads to her.

"What?" she asked innocently. "I haven't eaten today."

"There's no way you'll finish all that!" Jaune said, receiving several nods of agreement. Neo put her hands on her hips.

"Wanna bet?" she asked, a mischievous grin forming on her lips.

Jaune smirked, "You're on. What's the wager?"

Neo stopped and thought for a moment, but Nora interjected before she could think of anything. "I know!" the redhead announced, slamming her hand on the table. "The loser... has to eat the Deathstalker Chili at the end of the buffet!"

'_Deathstalker Chili?_' Neo thought. _'They make chili out of those things? Or is it just a name? I know I'm gonna regret asking..._'

"What's Deathstalker Chili?" Neo asked worriedly.

"Don't worry," Yang laughed. "It's not actually made from Deathstalkers. It's just spicy as hell. They use those Grimm peppers from Vacuo to make it." Neo and Jaune exchanged a nervous glance, both knowing that it was a little too late to try to back out.

"What's the matter? Too chicken?" Nora mocked, flapping her arms. Neo glared at her and extended her hand to Jaune.

"Let's do it," she said. Jaune was a little hesitant, but shook her hand.

"It's a bet. I don't know why I'm worried, I won't be the one eating it," he said slyly. Neo laughed and dug into her dinner, starting with a hefty bowl of pasta.

"So did you guys finish the essay for Professor Port's class tomorrow?" Jaune asked, receiving blank stares from team RWBY. "I'll take that as a no."

"Think he'll expect me to have it done?" Neo asked between bites.

Pyrrha laughed, "Probably not."

"He'd have to stop regaling us with his stories to collect them anyway," Blake added, getting a laugh from the rest of the table.

"Well I guess that answers what we'll be doing tonight," Yang pouted.

Ruby chuckled, "Oh cheer up, it's only two pages on Grimm migration. We can knock it out in an hour."

"There's no way we can do that in an hour!"

"If we have Weiss we can!" Ruby said and looked at the heiress with her puppy dog eyes.

Weiss groaned, "Ugh... Fine. But you owe me!"

"Yay! Thank you Weiss!" Ruby cheered, pulling her in for hug.

"Get off me you dolt!" she protested, but couldn't resist her leader's iron grip. The rest of the table couldn't help but laugh at Weiss' discomfort.

"So how's your dinner, Neo?" Jaune asked, turning to the new girl. To his, and the rest of the table's surprise, she was over halfway done with her tray. She'd polished off the pasta, three slices of pizza, and was almost done with a double cheeseburger.

"It's delicious," Neo answered as she put the last bite of the burger in her mouth. Nora laughed and elbowed Jaune to get his attention.

"How's that chili tasting, Jaune?" she asked. He shrugged, his face showing a little more worry than before.

"How can you eat so much and stay so small?" Pyrrha asked incredulously.

Neo shrugged, "I dunno, I guess I'm just lucky."

She picked up a turkey leg and dove in, and could start to feel her stomach reaching its limit.

'_Uh oh_,' she thought, and looked at the rest of her tray: Three tacos and a piece of chocolate cake were all that stood between her and winning the bet, but her stomach was having other ideas. '_I'm either gonna finish strong or with just bites left. I'm hoping for the former, I don't think that chili would sit well with all this._'

As if Nora could hear Neo's thoughts, she got up and brought back a bowl of the scorching dish and set it between Neo and Jaune.

"Just some motivation," Nora cackled, and Jaune grimaced.

'_Alright, you can do this,_' Neo thought, and scarfed down the tacos.

She picked up her fork and set the cake in from of her. It wasn't a huge slice, but to her it felt like the whole cake. She took a deep breath and tore in, and her teammates rallied behind her, cheering her name. Neo paused to take a drink with three bites still on the plate, feeling as if she could explode at any minute.

"Come on Neo, you can do it!" Ruby cheered.

"Just a few more bites, you got this!" Yang added.

Neo stared at the plate, ready to admit defeat.

'_No, that's it,_' she thought, having admitted defeat in her head. '_There's no way I can-_' Her thoughts were interrupted by a cocky Jaune.

"Ready to give up?" he asked, pushing the bowl of chili toward her.

"Not quite yet," she replied, narrowing her eyes. With a bit of renewed strength, she powered through and finished the cake, earning a chorus of hoorays from her team, and leaving team JNPR open mouthed at her accomplishment. She let out a loud burp and turned to Jaune.

"Eat up, Jaune," she grinned as she pushed the bowl back to him. Jaune was white as a ghost at this point, but he wasn't about to chicken out. With a loud gulp he put a spoonful into his mouth and everyone leaned in, eagerly awaiting his reaction. His face turned as red as Ruby's cloak, and with a gasp he finished every cold drink at the table.

Both teams burst into laughter as Jaune desperately tried to find something to extinguish the fire raging in his mouth. Nora ran and got two ice cream cones, offering one to Jaune. He snatched it from her and began licking it furiously.

Yang leaned over to Blake and whispered something to get in a low voice. Neo couldn't make out the whole comment, but heard something about Pyrrha being a lucky girl. Blake giggled, and Neo did her best to act as if she hasn't heard.

"Hey Neo, want some ice cream?" Nora offered, extending a cone toward her.

"No, thanks, I'm already too full," Neo replied. She couldn't help but laugh when she saw the flavour that Nora had brought her. "Also, believe it or not, I'm not a fan of Neapolitan ice cream."

Nora laughed back, "If you say so."

The two teams continued eating, with Neo growing more and more comfortable joining in on their conversations. As their meal came to an end, she felt like she'd successfully made seven new friends. And an icy acquaintance.

"Well, it's getting kinda late," Blake said after checking the time on her scroll. "We should really get to work on that essay."

The rest of her team agreed, and they returned to their dorm after saying goodbye to JNPR. While the rest of the team got to work on their papers, Neo got ready for bed. Ruby was nice enough to let her borrow a pair of pajamas, promising to take her shopping after classes tomorrow. Neo climbed up into Yang's bed, and wrapped herself up in the blankets like a burrito.

'_That was a lot of fun, despite the food baby,_' she thought, patting her stomach. '_And that Cardin kid is a total dick, but Blake's right, I just need to ignore him. No need for getting into trouble this early. I never thought I'd be so accepted here, or anywhere for that matter, let alone make this many friends so quickly. If this is any sign of what the future has in store for me, then I can't wait._'

Neo smiled to herself and drifted off to sleep, eager to start the first full day of her new life.

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter! As always please leave your feedback if you have something you'd like to say, and follow for more! The chili bet came from a bet I had with my friends earlier this month, although I was not able to finish the cake, and the ghost pepper chili tasted like lava. Next chapter will be Neo's first day of classes, and will explain more about her split personality that was mentioned earlier. Anyway, I'll get back to writing, see ya next time!**


	3. Chapter 3: First Day of School

Chapter 3: First Day of School

Daylight shone into team RWBY's dorm on Neo's first day of class, but she was still fast asleep. If left alone she likely would've slept up through lunch, but her eager leader had other plans. The girls were jolted awake by the ear splitting sound of Ruby's whistle. Neo nearly flew off the bed at the noise, completely caught off guard. Blake rubbed her eyes with an irritated expression, while Weiss and Yang glared at the caped girl.

"Damn it Ruby, I told you not to use that whistle anymore!" Weiss shouted.

Ruby shrugged, "Sorry, guess I forgot."

Weiss sighed angrily and flopped back onto her bed. Ruby frowned at her team's lack of enthusiasm until a cheerful Neo hopped down from her bunk. "Morning Ruby! What classes do we have today?" she asked with a smile.

"Um, let's see... Today we have Oobleck's class in about an hour, then Professor Port's lecture, and then combat training with Professor Goodwitch."

"Cool! I guess I'll grab first shower," Neo said, seeing how no one else was out of bed yet, and Ruby was already dressed. She grabbed her new uniform that Blake has been nice enough to get for her and headed for the bathroom. She shut the door and undressed, turning on the water as she finished.

'_Alright, first day of class,_' she thought as she stepped into the shower. The hot water cascaded off her body, taking with it her remaining fears for her first day. '_I can survive lectures, just gotta zone out like when Roman would rattle on about the White Fang. Combat training will be a nice break, I just have to make sure I don't go too crazy. It'll be nice to fight these guys for fun. Maybe we'll do partner stuff, that'd be awesome! I could get paired with Weiss, maybe fighting together could get her to start trusting me._' She kept her shower short, not knowing how long the other girls would take. She got dressed, fixed her hair and moved to open the door, but stopped with her hand on the handle when she heard Weiss and Yang arguing outside. Gently, she cracked the door to see what was happening.

Yang had her hands on her hips, glaring at Weiss. The heiress sat on her bed, arms crossed, glaring back. Ruby and Blake stood beside Yang, both looking angry at Weiss. "Weiss, if she wanted to do something to us she'd have already done it while we were asleep," the blonde said angrily, and Neo felt her anxiety come back.

'_Shit, I guess I should've known this would happen,_' Neo thought sadly. 'I_ get that she doesn't like me, but why does she keep instigating? I haven't done anything to her directly, not even when I was still with Roman. If she keeps acting like this I'll never get my chance to prove myself to her. Although I'm starting to think it wouldn't be much of a loss if I didn't._'

Weiss huffed, "How do you know she didn't?"

"Um, maybe because we're all still alive?" Yang snapped back. Ruby looked uneasy.

"Guys, please stop," their leader begged. "It's not good for us to fight like this. Weiss, you said you'd give her a chance. If you keep acting like this, then she'll never get one."

"Why should I give her a chance?" Weiss exclaimed. "Maybe she's not here to kill us. Maybe she's here to watch everyone fight so she can report all of our strategies back to the White Fang!"

Blake had been standing quietly until then, but now she'd had enough. "GOD DAMN IT, WEISS! SHUT UP!" she screamed, fed up with the argument. "Yes, she doesn't exactly have the cleanest history. And yes, we don't have any outstanding reasons to trust her. But you know what? When you found out about my past last semester, you thought the same things about me. And I remember you saying that you didn't it didn't matter as long as I wasn't a part of the White Fang anymore. What makes Neo any different?"

Weiss went to respond, but hesitated. Neo felt a few tears welling in her eyes and decided now would be a good time to end the argument. "Everything alright out here?" she asked timidly, fully opening the door.

Blake smiled, "Yeah, everything's fine." She shot a Weiss a look, and the heiress nodded without another word.

"Dibs on next shower!" Yang said, snatching her clothes off the dresser and rushing into the bathroom before anyone could argue.

The room was silent for a few minutes. Neo glanced over at Weiss, who was looking very conflicted, and couldn't help but feel bad. _'It's not her fault. None of them should be trusting me like they are. I haven't done anything to earn it._'

The silence continued until Blake decided it was starting to become awkward. "So Neo," she began, looking for anything to have a conversation about. "Do you need anything else before class?"

Neo thought for a moment, smiling at how friendly Blake continued to be. "Um... I guess I'll need a notebook or something."

"I think Weiss has a few extra ones," Ruby chimed in. "Maybe she could give you one."

The girls turned to Weiss, bringing her out of her thoughts. "I, uh... Yeah, I think I have some extras," she said, reaching into a desk drawer. She pulled out a medium sized binder and tossed it to Neo. "Here."

Neo caught it and smiled, "Thanks."

"No problem," Weiss replied, giving a small smile in return.

Yang emerged from the bathroom and Weiss took her place, followed after by Blake. Once she was dressed, the team headed for Dr. Oobleck's classroom. Neo quickly found she wasn't a fan of school uniforms, fidgeting with her blouse for the length of the walk, much to Yang and Ruby's amusement. They arrived a few minutes before the bell rang and sat near the back of the hall. Neo sat with Ruby on her left and Blake to her right, Yang and Weiss sitting beside them respectively. "So what's today's lecture on?" Neo asked.

"Post-war Vacuo," Yang responded, sounding less than enthusiastic. Ruby groaned and put her head on her desk, covering it with her notebook. Neo laughed and turned to Blake.

"What's the professor like?" she asked.

"He's an... interesting person. He was with us on the train, you might've seen him then. Only thing is he's just a little-" Blake was interrupted as Oobleck rushed into the room in a blur, stopping at his desk to take a drink from with thermos.

"Good morning children we're going to get started right away with today's lesson on post-war Vacuo right away! Please open your textbooks to page one hundred three and follow along!" Oobleck rattled off, moving around the front of the room and writing incomprehensible lines on the chalkboard.

"Hyper..." Blake finished, and the girls all laughed. The lecture began and within minutes the members of team RWBY assumed their usual roles: Ruby asleep at her desk, Yang daydreaming, Blake listening off and on and occasionally writing something down, and Weiss furiously taking notes. Neo was writing with the same fervour as Weiss, eager to take in as much knowledge as she could. She occasionally glanced up at the rest of her team, each time saw Weiss looking over at her. The heiress was quick to look away every time she was caught, leaving Neo wondering what she was doing.

'_Why does she keep staring at me?_' she thought. '_I'm not doing anything wrong, am I? She doesn't look angry. What is it then?_' The lecture wore on and eventually ended before she could answer her question, and the quintet headed to the dining hall for lunch. Again, they met up with JNPR and sat together. They got their lunches and sat down, and Nora was disappointed to see that Neo was eating a normal amount of food. Throughout the meal, Neo noticed Weiss continuing to stare at her, but this time decided to ignore it. Even so, it still made her uneasy. '_I know she said she'd keep an eye on me, but I didn't think she meant literally! What does she even think I'd be doing while I'm with everyone?_' Neo thought, pushing food around her plate.

"Not hungry after last night?" Jaune joked.

"Huh? Oh, um, yeah, I guess," Neo stammered.

"You okay?" Ruby asked, sounding concerned.

Neo put on a smile, "Yeah, I'm fine." The others weren't convinced, but didn't pry further. Lunch ended and the group moved to their next class, Neo making sure to sit next to Weiss in the hope that she wouldn't continue to stare at her. The lesson began, and Professor Port was almost instantly derailed and began a tangent about a hunting trip from his youth. It wasn't long before Neo decided to take after Ruby and set her head on the desk, but a slap on her shoulder prevented her from falling asleep.

"Get up!" Weiss snapped. "If you expect to succeed here this is not the way to do it. This is important stuff!"

Neo groaned and turned her attention back to the front of the room in time to hear the professor explaining in detail the difference between crimson and scarlet. She turned back to Weiss with a smug look. "You were saying?" she asked, and Weiss huffed.

"Okay, maybe not paying attention right now won't hurt you, but getting in the habit of it will."

'_Now she's trying to be helpful? What the hell is her deal?_' Neo thought. She rolled her eyes, but decided Weiss was right. She kept her attention at the front of the room, glancing at Weiss every now and then, and was relieved to see the heiress wasn't constantly looking her way anymore. The bell finally rang and everyone rushed to leave the room and escape from the tortuous lecture.

"See? I told you he wouldn't correct the essays," Blake laughed, and the rest of her team laughed with her.

"So what do you think of classes so far?" Yang asked, turning to Neo.

"They're alright I guess. But I don't know how many I could sit through in a row, especially if they're all like that one," she answered.

"Well you're in luck then!" Ruby cheered. "Combat training is next!"

Neo smiled, "Sounds like fun. Hey Yang, maybe we'll get a rematch."

"Don't expect to win this time if we do," the blonde said with a grin. The two went back and forth until they arrived at the arena and took their seats, joining back up with team JNPR. Professor Goodwitch walked to the center of the ring shortly after, looking down at her scroll.

"Alright students, today we'll be doing something a little different," she began. "Today we will be sparring in random pairs to test your ability to adapt to new partners and their fighting styles."

Neo surveyed the other students in the room, deciding in her head who she would and wouldn't want to be matched with. Her heart nearly stopped when she locked eyes with a familiar silver haired boy and green haired girl across the way. '_Oh my God, what're they doing here?_' she thought in a panic. '_Did Cinder send them to finish me off? Make it look like a training accident?_'

"Our first match: Russel Thrush and Jaune Arc, against Ruby Rose and Mercury Black," Glynda continued, interrupting Neo's thoughts. The four students entered the arena and stood with their partners. Miss Goodwitch stepped outside the ring and waited a moment to let the fighters discuss their fighting styles. "Ready... Begin!" The match started, but Neo couldn't keep her attention on the fighters. Her gaze constantly wandered to Emerald, who stared back at her for the length of the match with a blank exclusion. A loud thud finally brought Neo's attention back to the arena, where Jaune and Russel were lying dazed on the ground. "And that's the match! Excellent job," Goodwitch called out, stepping back into the ring. The fighters returned to their seats and Glynda turned back to her scroll. "Our next match: Cardin Winchester and Pyrrha Nikos, against Weiss Schnee and Neopolitan."

Neo turned to Weiss, who gave her an exasperated look. '_Well... Looks like I get my wish,_' Neo thought sadly, and got up to join her partner in the arena.

"So... Is there anything I should know about your fighting style?" Neo asked, and Weiss shook her head.

"Just stay out of my way," she replied coldly. Neo sighed, and looked at her opponents.

'_Alright... Looks like I get my chance to kick Cardin's ass. He looks like a typical bruiser, nothing too much to worry about. Pyrrha on the other hand should be interesting, but I have a feeling Weiss will keep her occupied._' Neo had been feeling down up to this point, but now her entire demeanour changed. She felt the change come over her and let it take hold, switching her from one personality to another. This was the Neo that Yang had fought on the train. She drew her umbrella and leaned on it, giving a cocky look to her opponents. Her change in personality showed more than she thought, with the rest of her team as well as team JNPR taking notice. Pyrrha took a step back, shocked at the psychopathic smile staring back at her.

"Ready?" Professor Goodwitch asked, looking at both pairs. "Begin!"

Weiss and Cardin charged toward each other while Neo and Pyrrha stayed still, each analysing the other. Cardin swung overhead at Weiss, who gracefully parried, landing a blow to his midsection. He spun around, carrying the momentum from his first swing and took aim at Weiss' legs. She leapt back, Cardin's mace burying itself into the ground, and charged forward again. Cardin was prepared this time, pulling his mace up and landing a strong blow square to Weiss' chest. She was sent flying back toward her partner, landing a few feet to Neo's left.

Neo locked eyes with Cardin and slowly strutted toward him. Pyrrha moved forward to intervene, but hesitated, wanted to watch the girl fight before she engaged her. Cardin charged at Neo, swinging wildly, but she dodged each blow as if it took no effort at all, moving only slightly to one direction and letting the weapon pass fractions on an inch from her body. Cardin's attacks became more wild and aggressive as his anger grew at his inability to connect. Pyrrha ran to help her partner, but Weiss moved in on her before she had the chance, leaving Neo to take care of Cardin. She continued to avoid his assault, waiting for the opportune time to strike back.

Finally, she extended her umbrella, deflecting a blow aimed at her head, and struck out at Cardin's ribs with her other hand. He recoiled at the unexpected attack, and raised his weapon to retaliate. Before he could swing, Neo kicked at the side of his knee, knocking him off balance. She planted a series of blows across his head and chest, finally grabbing his arm and flinging him into the air.

At that moment, Weiss was also off the ground, having just dodged an attack from Pyrrha. Seeing Cardin behind her, she created a glyph at her feet and jumped from it to the falling bruiser, grappling him and slamming him into the ground with incredible force. Pyrrha now turned her attention to Neo, running toward her with her shield raised. Neo dodged the girls initial attacks, and began parrying the continued onslaught with her umbrella.

Neo suddenly found herself on the ground as Weiss collided with after being thrown by Cardin. The two rolled several yards before coming to a stop, getting back to their feet to see their opponents charging at them full force. Weiss raised Myrtenaster and prepared to meet them, but Neo put her arm out to stop her. "Wait," Neo commanded. Weiss was hesitant, but held her stance as Pyrrha and Cardin drew closer. She smirked and activated her semblance, moving her and Weiss to the opposite side of the arena and leaving an illusion of them behind. Cardin slashed at the illusion, shattering it and leaving him and his partner off balance and confused. "Now," Neo said, and Weiss charged, creating a series of glyphs around her opponents.

Neo leapt forward as well, slamming into Pyrrha and sending her high into the air. Weiss unleashed a devastating assault on Cardin, dashing from glyph to glyph, also sending him flying. She gave a nod to Neo and the two launched up to continue the fight, each grabbing their opponent by the shoulders, spinning as they plummeted to the ground, simultaneously slamming them onto the floor, the thud echoing through the arena.

"And that's the match!" Glynda called out, moving toward the fighters. Neo was surprised that match was called so soon, but sure enough Cardin's aura had already dropped into the red. The adrenaline began to wear off and she began to revert to her normal self. She stood in an almost meditative state for a moment before she noticed Pyrrha approaching her.

"That was a good fight," the redhead said, holding her hand out to Neo. "I'd love to face you one on one."

Neo smiled and shook her hand, now fully from her second personality.

"Yeah, me too. Maybe next time," she replied, and turned to go to her seat.

"Hey!" Weiss called to her, and she spun to face the heiress. "That was... impressive. You're a good fighter."

Neo smiled, "Thanks, Weiss. That means a lot from you." Weiss smiled back and the four returned to their seats.

"Hey, what happened at the start of the match?" Yang asked with a look of concern once they'd sat back down. The rest of her team and team JNPR had been wondering the same thing, and leant in to hear an explanation.

"Well, you can see a lot of me is split," Neo said, gesturing to her face. "My hair colour, my eyes, and also my personality. Right now, you're talking to normal Neo. When things heat up, like in combat, I take on my other personality. When I make the transition, I become a psychopath. It's not easy to control, but I manage."

The group went silent, and Neo feared she shouldn't have said as much as she had. Yang was the first to respond, "I guess that explains the Neo I fought on the train versus the one I found on the streets. Is it only a fight that triggers it?"

"No, any strong emotion can bring it on too." Neo continued. "I can usually keep it under control when it's from a positive emotion, but otherwise it can be difficult, especially when it's something like stress or anger."

"How do you switch back?" Pyrrha asked. "You looked like you do now when we spoke after the match."

Neo thought a moment, "Well, that really depends. If it's from a fight, once it's over I can switch back right away. When it's from an emotion, it just takes time. How long depends on how strong the feeling was."

"Wow, that sounds... frightening," Blake said with a sympathetic look.

"What's her name?" Nora asked, suddenly turning all heads to her.

"What?" Neo asked with a confused look.

"Does the other you have a name?"

Ren sighed and put his head in his hand, "Nora..."

Neo giggled, "No, no, it's fine. I guess not, I've never thought of it as another person but... I guess she is."

Nora's eyes lit up, "Then we should name her!"

"I take it you have something in mind?" Jaune laughed. Nora shrugged and looked to the rest of the group for suggestions.

"How about Psycho?" Yang said, and Neo shook her head.

"Hmm... Gina? No wait, Debbie!" Nora cheered, earning another facepalm from her partner.

"I've got one. How about Beo?" Blake suggested. "As in Beowolf."

"I like it," Neo smiled. "I'm sure she does too."

Weiss laughed, "I feel like Beo and Nora would get along really well."

Nora went to retort, but then only shrugged, "Yeah, probably."

Everyone laughed and eventually returned their attention to the ring. Professor Goodwitch announced the next match, but Neo wasn't listening. Her attention had shifted to the white haired girl to her left.

'_Well, she wouldn't have made a joke about me yesterday,_' she thought happily. '_That's definitely progress. Maybe she's starting to warm up to me. I should see if we can hang out over the weekend, just the two of us. We can get to know each other more, that would help, I'm sure of it. Weiss Schnee, come tomorrow night, I'll finally be able to call you my friend._'

Class continued, with the teams of Yang and Emerald defeating Ren and Sky, Nora and Blake beating Dove and a boy Neo didn't recognise, and a several other matches of students she didn't know. After class ended, Neo noticed Mercury and Emerald making their way toward her as she and her team made the walk back to their room.

_'I guess I should see what they want, not point in drawing it out,_' she thought. _'I doubt they'd try to kill me right here, there're way too many people around. Actually, I don't think that would stop Mercury. Now I just need an excuse to stay behind.'_

She looked around and got idea when she eyed Ruby's backpack.

"Hey, I'll meet you guys back at the room," Neo said to her team. "I think I left my bag back in the stands."

"Okay, see ya!" Ruby said and waved goodbye, not even thinking Neo hadn't brought a bag in the first place.

After her team was out of sight, Neo took a breath moved to confront her old allies. They stopped on the side of the path as Neo approached, Emerald putting her hands on her hips. "Well well, look who we have here," Mercury said with an amused grin, crossing his arms. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

Neo was confused at the comment, "What do you mean? I thought you were here because I was?"

Emerald laughed, "No, we've been here a while for Cinder. I bet she'd love to know you're here though."

"She expected you to be in jail by now. Or dead," Mercury added.

Neo glared at him, "Well you can tell her I'm alive and well and, as of yesterday, a student here."

"Is that so?" Emerald asked in surprise. "Too bad, she said she was thinking about taking you back."

Neo huffed, "Not going to happen. I'm training to be a Huntress now."

Mercury smirked, "Not if Cinder has anything to say about it. I can't imagine she'll want you around anymore once we relay that to her. What we should just off you now so you can't cause trouble."

"Calm down," his partner snapped. "We need to keep a low profile, and I don't think killing her is a great way to do that."

"Well then what do you suggest we do then?"

Emerald thought a moment and turned back to Neo, "Alright, it looks like we both have a secret we don't want getting out, so I'll make you a deal; As long as no one finds out we're here, Cinder won't find out you're here. Sound good?"

Neo was hesitant. She didn't want to keep a secret like this, especially since she didn't know what they were up to. On the other hand, Cinder knowing she was a student now would almost assuredly bring her time here to an end. She went back and forth in her mind for another few moments before she gave a nod.

"Deal," Neo replied, already feeling uneasy.

"Alright then. See you around," Mercury said, and he and Emerald left.

'_There's no way this is going to end well for me,_' Neo thought sadly, taking a seat on a nearby bench. '_If I tell someone about them Cinder will find out it was me. But what if they do something and I could've stopped it? Maybe I should talk to Yang. No, I don't want to drag her in with me._' She sighed and got up to leave, '_How did I get back to the dorms again? I think I have a map on... Where'd I put my scroll?_' She searched her pockets for a minute before laughing to herself. '_I guess I left something in the stands after all._'

**Hi everyone, hope you liked the chapter! Next time we get to see Neo's attempt to befriend Weiss. Be sure to review if you've got feedback or any suggestions. I've got an overarching story in my head but if you've got something you'd like to see, don't hesitate to let me know! See ya next time! :)**


	4. Chapter 4: A Day on the Town

**For alternate endings, extra one-shots, early chapters, and more, become my Patron at dot com slash Novandalis. (:**

Chapter 4: A Day on the Town

The rest of the week went by, and Neo felt more and more at home at Beacon with every passing day. Blake had taken her shopping earlier in the week for new clothes and school supplies, with Weiss having been nice enough to pay. Neo was surprised at how much she enjoyed being in school. She wasn't sure if it was an actual yearning to learn or just the newness of it, but either way she felt couldn't be happier. She was still somewhat on edge after her agreement with Mercury and Emerald, but tried her best to keep it in the back of her mind.

Neo laid on her new bed, which sat where Ruby's had been before converting it to a bunk bed. It was a little past noon and Ruby, Blake and Yang were out at lunch with team CFVY. Weiss had stayed behind to catch up on staying before her date tonight, and Neo had feigned a stomach ache to stay behind as well. _'Alright, time to win her over,'_ Neo thought, glancing up at the heiress. '_I just hope she'll agree to hang out._' Weiss had been buried in her books all morning and, if left alone, would likely have stayed there until Neptune came to pick her up. Neo took a deep breath and stood up. "Hey Weiss?" she asked.

"What?" Weiss replied, not taking her eyes off her notes.

"I uh, was wondering if you'd want to go get lunch?"

"Just the two of us?"

"Y-yeah, I thought we could just hang out, get to know each other."

Weiss stopped and turned to Neo, who by now had turned a light shade of red. She raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

"Well, we haven't really talked much since I came here. I want us to be friends, and I figured spending an afternoon together could be a good way to start."

"I..." Weiss started, looking sceptically at Neo. "I can't, I need to finish studying before I go out tonight."

She turned back to her desk, and Neo's heart sank. She hung her head and walked to the door. '_Well... you tried,_' she thought sadly. '_No point trying to convince her I guess, she's about as stubborn as rock. Guess I can try again tomorrow._' She turned the handle and started to leave, but Weiss stopped her. "Where're you going?" the heiress asked, looking up from her books.

Neo shrugged, "I'll see if I can catch up with the rest of the team, if they haven't found somewhere to eat yet."

"I thought you were feeling sick?" Weiss asked, remembering why Neo hadn't gone with them in the first place.

"Yeah, well, I lied. I wanted the two of us to have time to ourselves. I should've known better... I'll get out of your hair now," Neo replied, hurrying out the door.

She knew she wouldn't be able to catch her teammates no matter how quickly she went, she just wanted to avoid the conversation getting more awkward. She sighed and started walking down the hall. "Neo, wait!" a voice called out behind her as she reached the stairs, and she turned with surprise to see Weiss running down the hall after her.

"Weiss? What're you doing?" Neo asked.

"I suppose you're right that we haven't spoken much, and it's my fault," Weiss began. Neo went to interrupt, but Weiss put a hand up to stop her. "I didn't trust you, and frankly, I still don't. But, I said I would give you a chance, and I won't go back on my word. If you want us to spend the afternoon together, then we will."

Neo smiled, "Alright, then let's go!"

The duo left Beacon and headed into Vale, Neo being somewhat happy to get out of the school and back outside. It was a warm, sunny day, with a light breeze and only a few clouds in the sky. In stark contrast to the weather, Weiss was being her usual, cold self. She was quiet for the duration of the walk, making it awkward for both girls. "So, where did you have in mind for lunch?" Weiss asked, finally breaking the silence.

"There's a new diner I saw a few blocks from 'From Dust Till Dawn.' I was thinking we could go there, it looked pretty good."

Weiss shrugged, "Sounds alright to me." They walked up to the diner, and Neo was happy to see they wouldn't have to wait for a table. A waitress greeted them as they entered and took them to a booth along the window at Neo's request. She took their drink orders, Neo getting 'People Like Grapes' and Weiss with a glass of water.

"Excellent, I'll be back in a moment," the waitress said and departed, leaving the girls alone.

"This is nice," Neo said. Weiss nodded, but didn't look up from her menu. "Know what you're gonna get?"

"Probably just a salad."

"Oh come on, don't be so bland!"

Weiss glared across the table, "Unlike you, I actually have to watch what I eat to maintain my figure."

Neo rolled her eyes, "One nice lunch won't kill you. Maybe I should pick for you."

"Whatever. What're you getting?"

Neo shrugged and picked up her own menu. Everything looked good to her, but she found herself constantly turning back to the breakfast section.

"It's never too late for pancakes," she replied happily, and Weiss rolled her eyes.

"I swear, you can be as childish as Ruby sometimes."

Neo frowned, "What's childish about pancakes?"

"It's one o'clock in the afternoon!"

"Like I said, it's never too late."

Weiss sighed in frustration, but couldn't find a reason to object. "Just don't order a side of cookies. I don't know if could handle two Rubys."

"Don't worry, I'm not that crazy about sweets," Neo laughed. "I'll probably either get bananas or blueberries on top."

"Ew, bananas on pancakes?" Weiss asked in disgust.

"Yeah, you've never tried it?"

"No! That sounds awful!"

Neo grinned, "Well then you will now. Trust me, you'll love it!" Weiss raised an eyebrow at the word "trust," and Neo quickly looked back down at her menu.

"Well..." the heiress said hesitantly. "Alright, I'll give it a try."

Neo's eyes lit up, "Sweet!" Their waitress returned only moments later to take their orders, Neo getting her banana pancakes and Weiss taking Neo's suggestion and ordering the diner's lunch special. The waitress returned to the kitchen, leaving the girls on their own again.

'_Okay, this is going way better than expected,_' Neo thought happily. _'She's talking to me, agreed to try something new, and listened to my lunch suggestion. Maybe this will work out after all.' She_ wasn't aware of how much she was smiling at her own thoughts, and Weiss quickly picked up on it.

"What's got you so happy?" she asked.

"What?" Neo said as she snapped out of her thoughts. "Oh, I um, was just thinking of something."

Weiss didn't look like she believed her, but didn't ask any further. "Alright. So Neo... what should I know about you?"

_'Is she trying to start a conversation?'_ Neo thought incredulously. She smiled, "Well, you kinda already know all the big stuff. Anything more specific you'd like to know?"

"Yes, there is," the heiress said plainly. "You said Cinder Falls raised you. I'd like to know more about that."

"Well, as long as I can remember she took care of me," Neo started. "She's not my mother though, I don't know anything about my real parents. I was brought up as a fighter, along with... a few other kids." She caught herself from mentioning Mercury and Emerald, which Weiss noticed.

"Who were the other kids?"

"I don't really remember," Neo lied. "I haven't seen them since I was really young."

_'I don't like this. She'll find out I lied eventually, I know she will. I hope she'll understand..._'

"Anyway, once I got old enough she used me as a bodyguard," Neo continued. "I wasn't assigned to Roman until after Blake and the monkey Faunus fought him at the docks. What's that kid's name?"

"Sun. You'll probably meet him soon," Weiss said. "He and Neptune are best friends."

"I'd love to meet him, I've heard some cool things about his weapons how he fights."

"Just don't try pulling any moves on him," Weiss laughed. "Blake would shred you like a mouse."

Neo chuckled, "I'll keep that in mind. So what about you, Weiss? What should I know about you?"

The heiress thought for a moment, "I assume you know about my family and the Schnee Dust Company."

Neo nodded, "That must've been awesome as a kid. All that money, getting anything you wanted, being treated like a princess-" She stopped as she saw Weiss' expression darken, and feared she hit a sore topic. "Sorry, I didn't know that was a sensitive subject."

Weiss sighed, "No, it's fine. Everyone thinks that's what it would be like, but it's really quite the opposite. My parents were hardly ever around, so our servants became more of a family to me than they were. You're right about one thing though, I did get most everything I wanted, but it came at the cost of friends, and everything a child should have. I was always expected to be the perfect daughter, to uphold the family honour. It was a tough way to grow up."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know," Neo said sympathetically.

A small smile crept onto Weiss' lips at the comment, "I shouldn't complain, especially to you. I'm sure you had it much worse." Neo smiled back, happy to see they were finally starting to connect. "So, I hope you don't mind me asking, but, I'd like to know more about your split personality."

"Alright, ask away!" Before Weiss could say anything, their waitress arrived with their lunches. The girls thanked her as she set the food on the table, and Neo turned to Weiss with a big grin.

"What's that look?" the heiress asked with a hint of worry.

Neo responded by pushing the pancakes toward her. "You said you'd give it a try," she answered, and Weiss looked down at the plate.

"Yeah... I did..." She picked up her knife and fork and cut a small piece. With a sigh, she closed her eyes, put the bite her mouth and cautiously chewed.

"So what do ya think?" Neo asked eagerly. Weiss' tense expression melted into optimism, and Neo smiled, knowing she had been right.

"It's... alright I guess," the heiress said flatly.

Neo laughed and pulled the plate back to herself, "Oh don't give me that, you love it and you know it." Weiss crossed her arms, but didn't argue. The two went silent again, but this time it was from neither one wanting to look up from their food. Eventually they both slowed down and Neo decided to resume their conversation. "So what'd you want to know about my other personality?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh, right. I guess the biggest thing I want to know is just what it's like to be the other you. What'd you name her again?"

"Beo," Neo said with a small laugh. "It's kind of a weird feeling when I make the transition, I can't really describe it."

"But what's it like just becoming another person?"

"It's... strange. It's always weird right after switching, just having a completely different way of thinking. Imagine if you suddenly thought the same way Ruby did."

Weiss' eyes flew open, "That would be... interesting. So... what does Beo think about? You said she's a psychopath, how do you mean?"

Neo sighed and looked down, "It's just a lot of violent, crazy images. It can be frightening sometimes once I come out if it and realise who they were about... Can I tell you something that scares me?"

Weiss nodded, "Of course."

"I think... I think if Professor Goodwitch hadn't stopped the match when she did on Monday, I would've pulled my sword on Cardin. Everything I remember thinking about during the match was of me just stabbing him, over and over. It's the same thing I remember after fighting Yang on the train..."

Neo turned back to Weiss, who gazed back at her with a look of pure compassion. "It's alright," she said, putting her hand on Neo's. "You can't help it. If you ever want to talk about it, I'm here for you."

Neo wiped a tear from her eye and smiled, "Thanks, Weiss. I guarantee I'll take you up on that eventually."

"I believe you," Weiss said, and looked down at the table. "Neo, I'm sorry for the way I've acted toward you. I shouldn't have let your past affect my judgment as much as it did. What matters is who you are now, and who you're striving to be. You're a great person, and I'm happy to call you my friend."

Neo felt tears welling in her eyes again, but this time they were tears of joy. "Weiss, I can't even tell you how much that means to me. I promise, I'll be the best friend to you I can be."

The moment was cut short as their waitress returned to the table, carrying the check and setting it between them. "Hi girls! Sorry to interrupt, I'll just leave this here and you can take care of it when you're ready."

"Thank you," Weiss said somewhat annoyed. Neo reached for her purse, but Weiss' hand quickly stopped her. "And just what do you think you're doing?"

"Paying the bill?"

"I don't think so," Weiss said, reaching for her own purse.

"Yes, I am! I took you out to lunch, it's only fitting that I pay. But, I'll let you leave the tip if you'd like."

Weiss simply laughed, "You forget, I'm a Schnee, money is anything but an issue. Besides, I can't imagine you have much extra cash on you."

"You'd be surprised, robbing your family's trains and warehouses landed me a decent pay," Neo said smugly, making Weiss glare at her.

"Well then, I guess I'm the one paying no matter what, if you think about it," the heiress replied, her angry stare turning to a grin.

Neo smiled back, "Yeah, I guess so."

Weiss set the Lien on the table and the two left the diner. Neo started back in the direction of Beacon, but Weiss had other plans. "So where're we going next?"

Neo looked back at the heiress in surprise, "Next?"

"Well yeah, you said we were spending the afternoon together, I assumed you had more than just lunch in mind."

"Oh yeah..." Neo said shyly. "Well, the thing is, I didn't actually think this would go as well as it did."

Weiss crossed her arms, "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"I dunno, I figured you and I wouldn't get along after the way you reacted to me coming here. Besides, I figured you'd want to get back to studying."

Weiss' expression softened, "I guess I can't blame you for thinking that. But, if you're still up for it, I wouldn't mind doing something else. I think I've studied enough for today."

"I'd love to," Neo said, perking up at the suggestion. "I don't really know the city that well yet, is there anywhere you'd recommend?"

"Hmm... I wouldn't say no to just going shopping," Weiss replied after a moment of thought.

"Sounds like a plan." Weiss led them off in the direction of the local mall, pointing out other buildings and locations as they went to help Neo get more familiar.

"Here, we'll cut through these alleyways to save some time," the heiress suggested.

"You sure? It's looks kinda sketchy."

Weiss sighed, "It's the middle of the afternoon, we'll be fine."

Neo was hesitant, but decided Weiss was probably right. They entered the alley and turned a few corners as they walked. As they rounded another bend, a deep voice called out behind them. "Well well, what do we have here?" Both girls jumped and spun around to see who was speaking. Out of the shadows stepped a very large man, holding an beaten iron pipe. "What're two lovely ladies like yourselves doing back here?"

"Just passing through," Weiss said in her most proper tone. "Come on, Neo, let's keep walking."

They turned back around, but found their path blocked by a group of three men, equally as large as the first, and each armed with a different blunt weapon. '_Uh oh, this is not gonna end well,_' Neo thought as she felt herself losing control. '_For them at least._'

"Leaving so soon?" the first man asked, taking a step toward them.

"Don't take another-" Weiss started as she reached down to her belt, but froze when she realised she hadn't brought Myrtenaster with her.

"Don't worry, princess," the man smirked. "Just don't struggle and this'll be over in no time."

Weiss turned to Neo in a panic, who had been quiet so far, "Any ideas?" She locked eyes with the girl, and made a startling realisation. She wasn't looking at Neo.

"Relax, honey. I've got this," Beo said with a wicked smile. She started walking to confront the man while Weiss just backed away from her, afraid of what was about to happen.

He raised his weapon as she neared. "Wrong move," he said, and charged toward her.

In a swift, fluid motion, Beo pulled the sword from her umbrella and sliced clean through his throat, stepping to the side as he fell past her. His hands flew to his neck in a desperate attempt to stop the river of blood gushing from the wound. He flailed on the ground for almost thirty seconds, gagging and coughing up blood, before his struggles began to grow more and more feeble. With a final twitch he went limp, and all eyes turned to his killer. Beo pouted and wiped the blood off her sword with his shirt, "Aww, I thought he'd put up more of a fight."

"That was a big mistake kid," one of the other men growled, and the second group moved in on her.

Beo only grinned, "Weiss, you should probably close your eyes." The heiress complied without hesitation, and braced herself for whatever she would see when they reopened. She heard a lengthy series of slashes and stabs, each followed by a primal scream or groan. Her lunch started making its way up into her throat after she heard the sickening splat of something she didn't dare venture a guess as to what caused it. After a final squishing sound and ragged gasp for air, it went dead silent. Weiss yelped as a hand suddenly grasped her wrist, but quickly relaxed after feeling how small it's fingers were.

"I think we should head back to Beacon," a sweet but concerned voice said, and Weiss knew she was talking to Neo again. Neo lead her out of the alley, and signalled it was alright to open her eyes again. "Sorry you had to hear that," Neo said sadly.

Weiss was amazed as she looked at the girl; There wasn't a drop of blood on her, or any other indication of what she'd just done. "D-don't worry about it," the heiress stammered. "Do... do I want to know what you did to them?"

Neo shook her head, "Absolutely not. I think you'd throw up if I told you."

"What, you think I'm too sensitive to hear it?"

"I hung a guy by his intestines," Neo said flatly. Weiss instantly turned green, and her hand flew to cover her mouth. "See? I told you."

"Alright, alright, don't say any more. Let's just go home. Oh, and never call me honey again."

Neo smiled and nodded, and the pair made their way back to their dorm. The walk back had the same awkward silence as their walk from earlier, and Neo was afraid she'd already ruined her friendship with Weiss. "I-I'm really sorry about that. I shouldn't have let myself switch so easily."

Weiss sighed, "It's alright. It's not like we had another option."

"That's the thing," Neo said sadly. "If I hadn't let Beo take over so quickly, I could've used my semblance to just teleport us out of there."

Weiss put a hand on Neo's shoulder, "Really, it's okay. You acted on instinct to protect us. I wasn't able to help, and you did what you had to do to get us out of there by yourself. Yes, you could've handled it a little better, but all that matters is we're both okay."

Neo smiled, "Thanks. You should probably remember your sword next time."

"Yeah, that is absolutely the last time I go anywhere without Myrtenaster."

At last they arrived at their dorm building, and Neo couldn't wait to collapse onto her bed. The fight had taken more out of her than she'd realised. She started up the stairs, but noticed Weiss had gone a different direction. "Hey, aren't you coming back to the room?" Neo asked.

"No, I need to talk to Sun quick, I'll catch up with you later."

"Alright, see ya!"

_'I guess all in all, this afternoon went really well,_' Neo thought as she neared her room. '_I hope she'll agree to hang out again after what happened in the alley. I'd hate to have messed up our friendship that quickly. I think it'll be fine though, she's been really understanding so far. I thought she'd be a lot colder on her own, but she actually really sweet, and caring, and beautiful... Wait, why did I just call her beautiful?_' She shook her head and opened the door to the room, and walked in on a very interesting discussion between Yang and Blake.

"No way, I think she'd be into some crazy BDSM shit," Yang said to her partner.

"What're you guys talking about?" Neo asked with a laugh.

"We're discussing what Beo would be like in bed," Blake answered as if it were a normal topic of conversation.

Neo paused to let the statement sink in, "How the hell did that even come up?"

Yang shrugged, "I dunno, it just sorta did. So how was your date with Weiss?"

"Pretty good, I only got to second base though," Neo joked, getting a laugh from Blake. "I'm kidding, but it did go really well. She actually called me her friend."

"That's awesome!" Yang cheered.

"Then I sort of eviscerated a couple muggers in front of her," Neo continued. "Well, Beo did."

Blake laughed, "Sounds like a good time to me. I'm glad to see she's coming around."

"Yeah, me too," Neo yawned. "I think I need a nap, there are some images I need it of my head." She leapt into her bed and was asleep within seconds. A huge smile spread across her cheeks as she began to dream, leaving Yang and Blake to wonder what she could be dreaming about.

Neo found herself in the middle of the Beacon gardens at night. The air was still and cool, moonlight filtered through the clouds overhead. She turned to see Weiss walking toward her with a smile and an outstretched hand.

"You ready to go?" she asked.

Neo nodded and took her hand, their fingers intertwining as they walked toward Beacon's main gate. "Where'd you decide we're going tonight?" she asked.

"I thought we could go to that diner we had our first lunch at. It's only fitting," Weiss replied with an innocent smile. They arrived at the familiar location and were seated at the same booth they had been at before. They ordered their drinks, and Neo raised her glass in a toast. "Here's to our first year together," she said happily.

Weiss tapped her glass to Neo's, "And to many more to come."

"Never in a million years did I think we'd be back here like this."

"I knew we would be," Weiss grinned. "Ever since the day you showed up at the dorm room, all I wanted was to be with you."

Neo laughed, "You had a really funny way of showing it back then."

Weiss giggled, "I love you."

"I love you to," Neo smiled, and leant in for a kiss.

Neo shot up in her bed, covered in sweat. She quickly looked around, and was relieved to see she was alone in the room. '_Holy shit, that dream..._' Neo thought, resting her head on her hand. '_I can't believe it, am I...? Am I in love with Weiss?_' She let those words and the events of the dream sink in, turning them over and over again in her mind, but couldn't come up with another explanation. _'I can't be can I? Sure, she's a cool person, maybe a little cold on the outside, but do I really feel that way about her? I think she's great, but... Well... Wait, is that why I called her beautiful earlier? Oh my God... It's true... I'm in love with her..._'

At that moment the door swung open, making Neo jump. "Oops, didn't mean to startle you," Ruby said cheerfully. "I came to see if you're coming to dinner with the rest of us."

Neo glanced over at the clock, '_7:24, so Weiss is already out. Good, I don't know if I want to see her right now._'

"Um, yeah. I'll be down in a few minutes," she said, starting to get out of bed.

"Okay, see ya in a bit!" Ruby replied and closed the door.

Neo laid back down and put her head in her hands. '_This is bad, really bad. She's got a boyfriend! Of all the people I could've fallen for, why did it have to be her? Maybe I can talk to Yang about it, she seems like she would know how to help._' She wiped her eyes and got up to leave. She was very unsure of how the next few days would pan out with her newfound feelings. She laughed to herself as she walked out into the hallway, '_Out of everything I've gone through in the past two weeks, how is this the scariest thing that's happened to me?_'

**Hello again! I looked at the story stats today, and I'm amazed I've gotten so many views and followed this quickly, I'm glad to see all of you are enjoying the story! Now we're finally going to start getting into some romance. Do you think it'll work out between Neo and Weiss? [ Ignore their pairing in the story heading (; ] Be sure to review if you've got something you'd like to say, follow to stay updated if you want more, and I'll see you all next time!**


	5. Chapter 5: Taking Chances

Chapter 5: Taking Chances

Sunday came and found the members of team RWBY sitting anxiously in their room. It was only seven in the morning, far earlier than they would normally be up, but this morning was different: Only three of the girls had slept in their beds the previous night. Yang had left for a party around midnight, but no one really expected her to be back yet. Weiss on the other hand, didn't seem like the type of girl to spend the night on a first date, leaving her team wondering if something else had happened to her.

"She's still not answering her scroll," Ruby said, setting her own scroll on her pillow.

Neo looked worried, "Do you think we should go look for her?"

Blake shook her head, "No. Who knows? Maybe she did spend the night. I don't think there's any cause for alarm just yet."

Neo pouted, she hated the thought of Weiss and Neptune together. Ever since her dream the day before, all that she could think about was her white-haired teammate. At dinner she played it off as just feeling tired after that afternoon, but now that excuse had lost its viability. She sighed and moved to the window, gazing out at the sunrise.

"Neo, are you alright?" her leader asked. "You look really-" She stopped at the sound of someone fidgeting with the doorknob, as if they were trying to keep it from making noise. All heads turned with anticipation toward the door. It opened slowly, making a few creaks, and in crept a less than stealthy blonde. Yang's hair was a mess, her clothes wrinkled with a few stains, and Neo was pretty sure she saw the brawler's underwear stuffed in her shirt pocket. Yang turned to see her team staring up at her, and her face turned as red as Ruby's hood. Ruby grinned, "Morning sis! Have a good night?"

Yang put her head in her hands, "Not now... I'm really hungover."

Blake sighed, "You really need to learn some restraint, one of these days you're gonna do something you'll really regret."

"Okay, mom," Yang grunted. She started toward her bed, but then made an immediate beeline for the bathroom. After a few minutes of loudly vomiting, she emerged looking somewhat better than when she went it. "So... what're you all doing up so early?" she asked, rubbing her eyes. "And where's Weiss?"

Blake grinned, "She hasn't come back from her date yet."

Yang's eyes popped open, her hangover seeming to have been instantly cured by the statement. "No way! Do you think she...?" the blonde trailed off and took a seat next to Neo, who had sat back down on her bed.

Ruby shrugged, "We don't know. I've tried calling her but she won't pick up."

"Damn, I never thought Weiss would hook up like that quickly. Or, ya know, at all."

"We don't know that's what happened," Neo snapped, instantly regretting her tone.

"Are you alright, Neo?" Blake asked. "You've been acting strange all morning. And last night too come to think about it."

Neo put on a smile, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... a bit of a headache, that's all."

'_I need to get this under control,_' she thought. '_I'll see if Yang can talk once everyone else leaves. And if she's not too hungover still._'

Ruby frowned, "Oh, alright. If you weren't feeling well you should've said something, we'd have let you sleep more."

"I've got some medicine in the dresser if you need anything," Blake added.

Neo shook her head, "That's alright, thank you though."

"Suit yourself. Hey, I don't know about you guys, but if we're not going back to bed, I need some breakfast."

"Seconded!" Ruby cheered, hopping down from her bed.

"You guys go ahead, I just wanna lie down," Yang groaned.

"Okie dokie, get done rest sis. What about you Neo?"

She shook her head, "No thanks, I think I'll follow Yang's lead."

"Alright, hope you feel better! Message us when Weiss gets back. Let's go, Blake!" They two departed, and Yang got up to go her bunk.

_'I guess this is as good a chance as any._'

"Hey Yang, you got a minute?"

The blonde turned as she was about to jump up, "I guess, what's up?"

"Can I to talk to you about something? It's... kinda personal."

Yang's face softened as Neo's tone grew sadder, and she returned to her seat beside the girl. "Is everything okay?"

Neo shook her head, "No, not really. There's someone I... I'm..."

"Whatever it is, you can tell me," Yang said, placing a hand on Neo's shoulder. "Someone what? Is someone giving you trouble? Is it Cardin? Cuz I wouldn't mind giving him a good ass kicking."

"No, that's not it," Neo smiled. "If Cardin were giving me problems, you'd never find the body."

Yang laughed, "Yeah, that's probably true. So what's wrong?"

"I-I think... I think..." Neo stammered. "I might be... in love with someone."

"Awww that's so cute! Who is it? What's his name? Do I know him?"

"Umm... It's not a he."

The comment made Yang even more intrigued than she already was, "Oooo so what's her name? Is that why you look so worried?"

Neo sighed, "No, that's not why. It's because... it's... Weiss." She felt relieved to say it out loud, and slowly turned her head to her teammate. Yang's eyes were the size of dinner plates, and her mouth hung open. She shook her head to regain her composure.

"Okay, I'm gonna ask very calmly," the blonde started. "I want you to explain to me just what THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH WEISS?"

Neo couldn't help but laugh, "Calm, huh?"

"Oh don't even start with me!" Yang shouted. "I can't believe it, how long have you felt this way?"

"I had a dream about the two of us being together last night. I just... I don't know what to do. I was hoping you might have some advice. Anything, really."

Yang paused, "Well... are you gonna tell her?"

"Of course not!" Neo exclaimed. "We only just became friends! Besides, she has a boyfriend!"

"She doesn't have a boyfriend..." Yang replied, looking utterly confused by that last statement.

"Wait, what? I don't understand, isn't she on a date with Neptune?"

"Yeah, she is," Yang smiled. "But they're not actually dating. At least they weren't when she left."

Neo's face perked up for a second, but then went back to a neutral expression, "Oh... But, it doesn't matter anyway, I can't imagine she'd go for another girl, let alone me."

"Not with that attitude she won't. Give it a shot, you never know what'll happen."

Neo smiled, surprised that's Yang's positive attitude was actually helping her feel better. '_Okay, okay, Yang's right, if she and Neptune aren't a couple then I should tell her how I feel. The worst that can happen is she rejects me. No, that's not true. The worst that can happen is we go back to the way things were when I got here. But on the other hand, there's the best that can happen... And I want that so bad. I guess that settles it. I'm telling her. There's just one thing I want to know first._'

"Thanks Yang. Hey, can you do me a favour?" Neo asked.

"No problem! And that depends on what it is."

"Can you... find out how Weiss feels about dating other girls? I'll tell her how I feel regardless, but I want to know how she'll react."

Yang gave a sympathetic smile, "Sure. After I get some sleep though."

Neo smiled back and nodded. Yang got up and leapt up to her bed, falling asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. '_Alright, I guess I'll join everyone else and get some breakfast. When Weiss comes back I'm sure Yang will let us know._' As she finished her thought, the doorknob slowly began to turn, and in walked Weiss. '_Or she can come back now, that works too._'

"Good morning!" Neo greeted her cheerfully, and quickly sent a message to Ruby from her scroll to say that Weiss had gotten home safely.

The heiress sighed, "I wouldn't call it good, but alright."

Neo frowned, "What's wrong?"

'_Please don't say what I think you're going to say._'

"I have the worst headache. I went to the library after we went out to catch up on a bit of studying, and feel asleep in one of the lounges. Those chairs have no neck support whatsoever."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Neo said, secretly relieved at Weiss' answer. "How'd the date go?"

"It was... alright I guess. I doubt there will be another though."

"Why do you say that?"

"He kept insisting I spend the night. Actually, insisting isn't quite enough. He almost forced me to spend the night, but when I threatened a restraining order he finally backed off. I'm not looking for a relationship with someone who's first and only thought is sex. Call me old fashioned, but I like a bit of romance."

"Sorry it didn't go well," Neo said with a sad face. Inside she was smiling, but couldn't help but feel guilty about it. "I'll sure you'll find someone better."

Weiss huffed, "I'm starting to doubt it. Everyone here is either only looking for hookups, or is only interested in me because of my last name. It'd be nice to meet someone different for a change... Anyway, sorry to rant like that."

'_Huh... Not once did she say she's looking for a guy._'

Neo smiled, "Don't worry about it, I'm always here to talk if you need me."

"Thanks," the heiress replied, returning the smile. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need a shower."

"Okay. I'm gonna head down to breakfast with the rest of the team, you should come down once you're finished."

"Will do. What's Yang still doing in bed?"

Neo laughed, "She partied a little too hard last night. She only got back a couple minutes ago."

Weiss rolled her eyes and grabbed a towel before heading to the shower. Neo left the room after changing out of her pajamas and joined the rest of her team in the dining hall. They were relieved to hear that Weiss had come back safely, and were also surprised at Neo's sudden change in mood. It wasn't long before Weiss came to join them as well, giving Neo even more reason to be happy. She found that throughout breakfast she couldn't seem to keep her eyes from drifting to the heiress. Even though it was the same girl she'd seen for the past week, there was something different now. Weiss seemed to glow in the morning light, like fresh dew on a blooming flower. There was a whole world going on around her, but all Neo could see was Weiss. Thankfully for Neo, Weiss didn't pick up on the constant gaze.

After breakfast the group decided to go to the sparring arena, seeing as they had exam-style matches coming up on Wednesday. Blake informed Neo that these matches were graded with the same weight as an exam would be in any other class, and that Professor Goodwitch graded it solely based on technique, not simply being victorious. "That might be a bit of a problem for me," Neo laughed.

"Why do you say that?" Pyrrha asked. "You're an excellent fighter, I don't think your technique needs too much work."

"Yeah, well, I'm not really in charge of my fighting styles and techniques. Beo has that locked down, and I don't think she's very open to change."

Nora perked up at the mention of Beo's name, "Hey Neo, can we spar today? Please? I really wanna fight Beo."

"Hold on," Pyrrha interrupted. "I believe I'm the one who'll be sparring with her. We agreed after our match on Monday."

Neo gave a cocky smile, "Doesn't matter to me, I could probably take you both if you want."

"Oooo I think this'll be a good match," Ruby whispered over to Blake.

The Faunus girl nodded, "I should say so."

"We'll see about that," Jaune smirked. "Wanna up the ante? Think you could take all of team JNPR?"

"Oooooo!" came simultaneously from the rest of team RWBY.

Neo crossed her arms, "I know I can. In fact, I think I feel another bet coming on. Unless of course, you're too afraid after the last one."

"You're on!" Nora shouted before Jaune had to chance to say anything. "And I know what the loser should do."

Pyrrha looked concerned, "Be careful what you say, Nora."

As expected, she didn't listen. "The loser's punishment will be decided afterwards by the winner. No limitations, no boundaries. You have to do whatever they tell you to."

Neo rather liked the idea, but the rest of Nora's team wasn't quite so enthusiastic. "I'll agree to that on one condition," Jaune ventured. "It has to be Neo, and not Beo that decides what we do if we lose." A chorus of laughter erupted from both teams. Neo of course couldn't blame him for saying that, knowing full well the kinds of things Beo would put them up to.

"Alright, it's a bet," Neo grinned.

They finally arrived at the arena, and team JNPR and Neo took their positions in the ring. Ruby, Weiss and Blake sat in the front of the stands to cheer on their teammate. '_Okay, I can do this,_' Neo thought as she looked over her opponents. '_My biggest threat is Pyrrha, and probably Nora after her. Jaune will be easy to handle, but I'm not sure about Ren, I haven't seen him fight much. Let's see how this-_'

Neo suddenly found herself on the ground with a splitting headache, and both her team and JNPR surrounding her with concerned faces. "What... what happened?" she asked in a daze, bracing herself on Jaune and Ruby to stand up. "It feels like I was hit by a truck."

"Close, Nora drove you into the ground with her hammer from about fifty feet in air," Weiss replied.

Neo shook her head, "I can't remember a thing about the fight."

'_Wait a minute, I lost the match? I mean, I didn't have really high hopes of winning, but, I still figured I would. Uh oh, that means..._'

"I hope you still remember the bet we made beforehand," Nora said with an evil smile.

"I uh... Well, technically we never shook on it."

"Nuh uh, you're not getting out of it that easily. Now, what should you have to do..."

Neo laughed nervously, "You said Beo couldn't decide for you guys, so does that extend to Nora not being able to choose for me? They're pretty similar."

"Nope, you didn't say that when we made the bet," Jaune said. "Whatcha got, Nora?"

The redhead was deep in thought for a few minutes, giving Neo ample time to recover from the fight. "I've got it!" she suddenly shouted.

Pyrrha grinned, "Do tell."

"Neo... has to streak back to the dorms from here!"

Neo's face instantly turned red, as did everyone else's but Nora's. "I dunno, Nora," Jaune said, a little embarrassed at the thought. "That's a pretty long walk. We don't have to be that mean."

"No, it's alright," Neo cut in. "I agreed to the bet, and if that's what I have to do, I'll do it. Anyway, I kinda want to head back anyway, my head feels like it's gonna explode." Without much hesitation, she began removing her uniform. Everyone but Nora and Blake averted their eyes in embarrassment, but Neo didn't care either way. She picked up her pile of clothes and tossed to it Blake.

"Thanks, but I doubt they'll fit me," she joked.

Neo rolled her eyes, "Make sure you bring those back when you guys finish up here. See ya back at the room!"

With that, she took off sprinting back toward the dorms. She did her best to stay hidden, her aura helping her to move across open areas without being seen. Unfortunately, the illusion it left behind was also naked, so she had to exercise a little caution as to when and where she could use it. At last she reached the building, taking cover behind a tall hedge, but still had to run up and open the doors. She stepped out to make a run for the doors, but quickly turned around as they began to open. She leapt back behind the bush as Professor Ozpin stepped outside, followed by Professor Port.

_'Whoa, that was way too close,_' Neo thought, breathing a sigh of relief. '_Of everyone that could see me like this, those are probably the last two people I'd want to see me. Team CRDL wouldn't be too favourable either, but the headmaster is still worse._' She waited until they were sufficiently far away and dashed to the door, throwing it open and sprinting up the stairs as fast as her legs allowed her. At last she made it to her room, quickly shut the door and jumped onto her bed to rest.

"Oh, hey Neo!" Yang called out from her bunk. "What're you doing back so- Um... Why're you naked?"

Neo sighed and shut her eyes, still panting from the run back, "Lost a bet with JNPR. Had to streak back here. How's your hangover?"

"I'm feeling pretty alright now. So, do you think you should put your clothes back on?"

"Yeah, probably. I'm gonna take a shower first though." Neo grabbed a new set of clothes and a towel and went into the bathroom.

'_Okay, that's the last time I make a bet where Nora's involved in any way. I need to think of a good way to get her back for that._' With no one else waiting on her, Neo took her time in the hot water, mulling over her options for revenge against the fiery redhead. By the time she was finished, she was confident her plan was perfect. She stepped out and began to dry herself off, but paused when she heard a conversation outside the door. '_They're back already? No, there's no way._' She moved to the door and pressed her ear against it to hear why they'd returned so quickly. _'I only hear Weiss and Yang. Why'd she come back alone?_'

Neo's question was immediately answered by the heiress herself, "No, I just wanted to check up on Neo. I've never seen someone take a hit that hard and just be okay."

"Aww, that's really sweet of you," Yang replied. "You're a good friend."

"Thank you Yang. Where is she anyway?"

"She's in the shower, probably will be out in a bit. Oh! I never got to ask you, how'd your date go?" Neo had gone back to drying off, but froze at Yang's last comment. She knew what the blonde would inevitably lead into. She jumped back to the door and cracked it slightly, eager to hear what Weiss would say.

"It certainly could've gone better," the heiress replied. "I thought he might be a nice guy, but it turned he's just another horny teenager."

Yang grinned, "Sounds like prince charming to me."

"Ugh, why do I even bother trying to be serious with you?"

"Oh lighten up, princess. I'm just messing with you. So, any other boys you've got your eye on? Or girls?"

Neo felt her heart leap into her throat, '_Oh my God, here we go._'

Weiss raised an eyebrow, "Since when do you care about my love life?"

"I dunno, just making conversa-" Yang suddenly stopped, a look of amazement coming over her. "Hold on a minute, you didn't even react to me asking if you liked girls."

"I uh... Well... You, um..." the heiress stammered.

"Holy shit, there is a girl!"

"Shhh! Not so loud! Alright yes, there is, but please don't tell anyone!"

Yang pulled her teammate into a hug, "You got it. I just, I can't believe you of all people would be a bi."

Weiss sighed, "I know, that's why I didn't want to tell anyone. My father wasn't exactly... supportive when I came out to him. He said that it would ruin our family's name. I think he's just homophobic, and want to show him he's wrong, but I don't know if I'm ready yet."

"You shouldn't let him stop you from being happy. When you decide you're ready, I know your team will be nothing but supportive."

_'I can't believe it... She actually... And that means... Gah! I can't even think straight, I'm so happy! This could really happen!_' Neo thought with a massive smile. She speedily got dressed and went to open the door, but what she heard from outside stopped her dead in her tracks.

"So, can I know who this mystery girl is?" Yang asked. She looked over toward the bathroom, and froze when she saw Neo through the cracked bathroom door. Both girl's eyes widened, and Neo braced herself for what Weiss would say next.

"I uh..." Weiss started, looking slightly embarrassed. "It's..."

As the heiress trailed off, Neo felt the butterflies in her stomach trying to force themselves out, and felt she couldn't listen to any more. With a deep breath, she opened the door and walked out. "Ah, much better," Neo said, acting as nonchalantly as she could. "Oh, hey Weiss! What're you doing back?"

Weiss blushed, "I uh, came back to see how you were feeling."

"Aww, that was nice of you. I'm doing just fantastic. So what were you two talking about?"

"I was asking her how her date went," Yang said quickly, knowing that Neo had really heard the whole conversation.

Neo smiled, "Cool! She told me all about it when she got back this morning. She came in just after you fell asleep, I'm surprised you didn't wake up."

Yang laughed, "I'm not. I sleep like a hibernating Ursa. Now, if you ladies will excuse me, I need a shower myself." She hurried into the bathroom, leaving Weiss and Neo alone. "Hey Neo! You left your wallet on the sink!"

'_What, no I didn't. It's in my-_' Neo thought and reached into her pocket, but she was shocked to find it empty. '_How did it fall out? I didn't even set my clothes on the sink._'

She walked into the bathroom and found Yang holding up her wallet, a smug smile on her face. "Stole it when I walked past, needed to get your attention. How much did you hear?" the blonde asked, tossing the wallet back up Neo.

"Pretty much all of it. Do you... Do you think it's me?"

"Yes! You really can't tell?" the blonde half yelled, and Neo shook her head. "Get out there right now and tell her how you feel!"

'_She's right, I can't wait any longer, I'll lose my mind if I do._'

"You're right, thanks Yang!"

"Any time! Now get out, I actually do need a shower."

Neo nodded and walked over to her bed, Yang closing the door behind her. She looked over at Weiss, who had taken her usual seat at her desk. The heiress' face was covered by a book, but Neo could see the girl's face was still as red as it was before. '_Alright, here we go. Deep breaths, you can do this._'

"Hey Weiss?" Neo asked, her voice almost cracking. "Are... are you free tonight?"

"Um, I believe so, why?"

"I was wondering if you'd want to go get dinner?"

"Sure," Weiss replied with a smile, turning to face Neo. "Who all is coming?"

Neo blushed, but smiled back, "Just us. I was thinking it could be... it could be a date."

Weiss was stunned, "I... Are you... you're serious, aren't you?"

"Y-yes, I am," Neo stammered. "Look, I understand if you want to say no, I know we haven't known each other that long, and we only just became friends. It's just, I have to tell you how I feel, but I don't want things to be weird between us. I want us to be more than friends, I'm just afraid of what you'll say and and and-"

She started to hyperventilate, but Weiss rushed forward and put a finger to her lips to stop her from continuing. "Neo..." Weiss said in a sort of whisper. "I have to stop you there."

Neo couldn't stop the tears from rolling down her face, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I just-"

"Neo!" the heiress shouted, putting her hands on Neo's shoulders. Neo wiped her eyes, and meet Weiss' gaze. "Are you... asking me out?"

"I... Y-yes," Neo stuttered, and cleared her throat. "Weiss, w-will you be my girlfriend?" She waited for what felt like an eternity for the answer, all the while staring deeply into Weiss eyes. She felt a wave of both relief and fear wash over her, and was forced to look away. Weiss put a hand on Neo's cheek, cupping the girl's face and pulling it back to her. Neo looked up to see the heiress smiling wider than she ever thought possible.

"Yes."

**Hi guys! Sorry to leave it there, but I couldn't resist a good cliffhanger. Things are definitely gonna start heating up now, so be sure to stick around! I saw I passed 1,000 views after the last chapter, just wanted to say thank you everyone for reading, I'm glad you're enjoying the story. As always, review if you've got something you'd like to share with me, be it criticism or encouragement, I welcome both. I'll see you all next time!**


	6. Chapter 6: New Relationships

Chapter 6: New Relationships

"Yes."

One simple word, but to Neo its meaning was almost beyond comprehension. She was happier than she could ever remember being. Time seemed to stand still, her mind not wanting to accept that this moment could ever end. Neo's head was filled with a million thoughts, but they all had the same subject in common: Weiss was her girlfriend. The two continued to stare wordleslly into each others eyes, neither able to adequately express what they felt. Finally, Neo pulled the heiress into an embrace. Both girls were crying tears of joy, and their display didn't go unnoticed.

Yang poked her head out of the bathroom, "Everything alright out here?" Neo nodded, still crying, and Yang knew that all had gone well. "I'll leave you two alone."

She returned to her shower, and the new couple giggled as they broke the hug. "I-I can't believe it," Neo said softly.

Weiss smiled, still blushing, "Neither can I. I never thought you would feel this way about me, not after the way I acted toward you."

"You'll have to do much worse than that to push me away."

"I wouldn't dream of it. So... what do we do now?" Neo had been wondering the same thing. She'd never been in a relationship before, all of this was uncharted territory to her. Even so, just the simple fact of going into it with a Weiss seemed to make everything scary about it disappear. Neo felt another wave of happiness come over her, but what followed it was something much darker. She suddenly collapsed to the floor, catching onto her bed to stop her fall. "Neo? What's wrong?" Weiss asked as she rushed to Neo's side.

'_No no no, not now, not now,_' Neo thought desperately. '_This can't be happening now._'

She was breathing raggedly, her eyes shut tight, making Weiss go pale, "Neo!? Are you okay?"

"N-No, Beo-" Neo gasped. "S-Stand back. Back up!" Weiss complied, watching helplessly as Neo fought with herself for control. Neo stayed ahead, but only just, curling up in a ball as she strained to prevent the transition from coming on. After almost five minutes of panting, she went limp. Weiss couldn't watch anymore and rushed to her side, pulling her girlfriend's head into her lap and stroking her hair.

"Neo? Can you hear me? I'm right here, just breathe."

Neo's eyes slowly opened, beads of sweat rolling down her forehead. "I... I'm alright," she said breathlessly. "I've haven't had her fight so hard for control in a long time. I guess I just haven't been that happy in a while." She smiled and closed her eyes while she caught her breath. Weiss helped her into bed, pulling the covers over her as she began to shiver. All of Neo's strength had been drained, she could barely keep herself from passing out.

"Just rest, you need it. I'll be right here when you wake up."

Neo nodded weakly, and let the darkness overtake her. She suddenly found herself standing in the middle of nothing but blackness, a single, invisible point of light illuminating her position. "What the...? Where am I?" she asked aloud.

"Nowhere," a voice spoke from the darkness in front of her. "Well, technically it's your somewhere in your imagination." Out from the shadows stepped Beo, grinning at her sister personality.

Neo was stunned, "What? Why am I here? Is this a dream?"

Beo shook her head, "Nope, not a dream. I just wanted us to talk, we haven't really gotten the chance before."

"O-Okay, I guess, what did you want to talk about?"

"Come on, you know exactly what I want to talk about."

"Weiss?" Neo asked. "What about her?"

Beo rolled her eyes, "If we're gonna be dating her, I want to spend some time with her too. Don't worry, I'll behave when I do, I wouldn't want to ruin our relationship."

Neo wasn't sure what to make of everything that was being said, "I... Alright, I guess..."

"Perfect! Well, it was nice chatting with you. See ya!" Beo said with a wink before walking back into the blackness. The light above Neo started to dim, and the dark slowly enveloped her. She suddenly woke up and found Weiss sitting on the end of her bed.

"Good morning," the heiress said with a smile as Neo sat up.

"How long was I sleep?"

"A few hours, it's almost three o'clock. The rest of the team is at the library."

"The library? Do we have an exam coming up that I forgot about?"

"Apparently so," Weiss sighed. "On Tuesday we have an exam in Professor Peach's class. It's on Vale plant life, remember?"

"Oh yeah, that's right," Neo said, then grinned. "Wait, you passed up going to the library to stay here with me?"

The heiress rolled her eyes and stood up. She walked over to her dresser and came back with a cup of water, handing to Neo. "Here, drink this. And yes, I couldn't just leave you here."

"You're the best," Neo said, sipping the drink. She hadn't realised how thirsty she was, the cold water soothing her dry throat. All the while, the conversation with Beo was playing in her head. She couldn't tell if it really was Beo talking, or just a dream, but either way she didn't think it would be a good idea to just let Beo take over with Weiss. She handed the glass back and started to get out of bed.

"What do you think you're doing?" Weiss asked like a mother scolding her child.

"Relax, I'm fine. This isn't my first blackout." Weiss didn't want to believe her, but seeing as she want an expert in split personalities, she decided to take her word for it. Neo got up and stretched before walking over to Weiss. "Think we should join the others in the library?"

"I guess we could, but only if you're feeling well enough."

Neo smiled at her girlfriend's concern, "Weiss, believe me, I'm alright. I promise I wouldn't lie to you."

"I know, but that doesn't mean I'm still not worried."

"And I appreciate that. Come on, let's go!" They left the room and set off for the library, neither girl saying much along the way, but Neo didn't seem to mind. She was content to just be in the heiress' company. A few minutes into the walk she thought about reaching for Weiss' hand, but decided against it after remembering what she'd heard from the bathroom. "So, did you tell the rest of the team about us when they got back?" Neo asked, following her own train of thought.

"No, I didn't," Weiss replied. "I wanted us to do it together."

"That is if Yang hasn't said anything already."

"She'd better not! I told her not to tell anyone after she came out of the shower."

Neo laughed, "I doubt she'd do it on purpose, but she is a bit of a loud mouth. It wouldn't surprise me if it slipped out."

"True, but I think she has a little more self control than you give her credit for." They arrived at the library and joined their teammates around a table on the far side of the room. Ruby cheerfully greeted them as they sat down next to each other, happy to see that Neo was alright after her episode. They jumped into the study session right away, Neo being especially eager seeing as she had almost no prior knowledge in this area. After a few minutes, Neo winced suddenly an put a hand to her forehead.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Blake asked with a worried look.

"Yes, I'm fine," Neo said. "I usually get headaches after blacking out like that."

"Maybe you should go lie down?"

Neo laughed, "You sound like Weiss was back in the room."

"Hey! I was just looking out for you!" her girlfriend cut in.

"I know, I know. I'm happy to see you be so caring."

Weiss blushed, "Oh, stop it."

Yang gave the couple an exasperated look, "So, what've you two been up to while we were gone?"

"I don't know about Weiss, but I was sound asleep up until we left," Neo replied.

"And I spent most of the time reading," Weiss added. Yang glared at them for avoiding the obvious answer she wanted, to which Neo innocently smiled. The team spent the next three hours half studying and half chatting. Yang constantly tried to bring up the new couple's relationship, but was subtle enough that the others wouldn't know unless Neo or Weiss said more.

"She's starting to get on my nerves," the heiress whispered in Neo's ear.

"Mine too, but I know I'd do the same if I were her," she replied.

"It doesn't matter, I asked her to be quiet about it. I said we'd tell everyone we're dating when we're ready to, not when-"

"WAIT WHAT?" Blake shouted.

Neo couldn't help but laugh, realising her girlfriend's mistake, "Damn her cat hearing."

Weiss on the other hand didn't see the humour in it, and angrily turned to Yang, "Happy now? Why'd you have to keep egging us on?"

"Don't look at me, you're the one that said it," the blonde said innocently, raising her hands like a caught thief.

"I will look at you! I wanted to wait until we were ready!"

"Can someone explain what's going on?" Ruby cut in, getting a laugh from the rest of the team.

Neo wrapped her arm around Weiss' shoulders, "Well... As of this morning, we're dating." The heiress smiled and nodded, putting her arm around Neo. Yang squealed with delight at the announcement, and Ruby and Blake weren't far behind her.

"Wow..." Ruby started. "Did not see that one coming. I'm so happy for you guys, congratulations!"

"You're really gonna have your hands full now. You sure you can handle her?" Blake joked.

"Of course! She's not crazy all the time," Weiss smiled.

"Actually, I was talking to Neo."

Neo smiled, "I'd only have to 'handle' her if she did things I don't like."

"Aww that's so sweet," Weiss said, pulling her girlfriend in for a hug.

Yang made a face, "Alright alright, enough of that cutesy stuff."

"Yang, you're the last person I'd expect to get grossed out by it," Ruby giggled.

The brawler stuck her tongue out at her sister, "Anyway, I think we've been here long enough. Wanna go get dinner?" A resounding yes came from the rest of her team and they got up to leave, Ruby being the first one out the door.

"So if you don't mind me asking, what happened to Neptune?" Blake asked as they walked.

"He made it clear he was only looking for sex," Weiss said. "And that's not what I'm looking for."

"Well, I know someone isn't getting laid tonight," Yang said, earning a glare from the rest of her team. "Oh lighten up!" They arrived at the dining hall just as the seafood bar opened, Blake seeming especially interesting in the smoked fish. After a few crude jokes about cats and fish from Yang, they got their dinners and took a seat at their usual table.

"Oh crap," Weiss said suddenly, turning to Neo. "We were supposed to go out for dinner."

"Actually, you never answered me on whether or not we would," Neo replied, remembering their earlier conversation.

Yang smirked, "Wow, forgetting dates already?"

"In our defense, I did black out. That kinda put everything else to side."

"True, but I still should've remembered." Weiss pouted, "I feel bad now."

"Don't," Neo said sweetly. "We can go out tomorrow night. Sound good?" Weiss nodded and smiled, and the team went back to eating. Shortly after, they were joined by team JNPR and two others, one of whom Weiss was not happy to see.

"Hey, sup guys?" Neptune asked as the group sat down, shooting a wink at Weiss.

Yang's face lit up, "Please let me be the one to tell him." Weiss glared at her, thankful Neptune hadn't heard, but didn't say no. Dinner went on, becoming increasingly awkward as Neptune continued to hit on his previous date. Neo felt herself growing more and more angry at every flirty thing he said. Thankfully, Weiss was able to keep her under control, but Neo felt her fuse shortening with every word that left his mouth. Eventually he and Sun got up to get dessert, giving the couple, as well as the rest of team RWBY, a minute to breathe.

"Is everything alright, Neo?" Pyrrha asked. "You look angry."

Neo turned and gave a look to Weiss, who nodded and cleared her throat. "Yes and no," the heiress spoke softly. "We actually have an announcement."

Neo smiled, taking Weiss' hand, "We um... We're dating."

To say jaws hit the floor was an understatement at team JNPR's reaction. It was a solid thirty seconds before any member had recovered enough to speak. "Whoa..." Jaune said, sounding both sad and surprised. "That's uh... That"s not what I expected to hear."

Pyrrha put her hand on his shoulder, "What he means to say is that's wonderful news, and we're all happy for you."

"R-Right, that's it."

'_Oh, that's right,_' Neo remembered. _'He had a crush on Weiss. I kinda feel bad for him. Having to compete with Neptune must've been tough enough, I can't imagine how he feels now..._' She shook her head to clear her thoughts and turned to the rest of team JNPR, who had been quiet so far. Ren smiled and nodded in acknowledgement, showing more emotion than was expected. Nora, on the other hand, practically couldn't contain herself at the news.

"Oh my God that's amazing!" she squealed. "You two are so cute together!"

"Shhh! Not so loud!" Weiss said frantically, looking across the way to see if Neptune or Sun had heard.

"Again, can I pleeease be the one to tell him?" Yang begged.

Neo glared over at the blue-haired boy, "If it'll make him shut up, go for it. If he hits on Weiss again, my boot's going straight up his-"

"Calm down," Blake interrupted. "It should be you or Weiss that tells him. No matter how much you don't like what he's doing, he's only flirting because he still thinks she's available."

Yang pouted, "Fun crusher."

"Care to do the honours, Neo?" Weiss asked.

"I would love to," she replied with an evil grin. The two boys returned with several plates of sweets and assorted desserts for the table, and Ruby was quick to snatch a plate of chocolate chip cookies for herself. Only moments later, Neptune was at it again, sending Neo over the edge.

"So Snow Angel, got any plans tomorrow night?" he asked with a confident smile.

"Yes, actually she does," Neo cut in angrily. "We're going out tomorrow night."

"Oh, that's cool. What about Tuesday?"

"No, I mean we're going out tomorrow. As in a date. She's my girlfriend," Neo said coldly.

Sun nearly choked on a bite of cake at Neo's final sentence, and Neptune stared at the pink-haired girl with a look of shock and disbelief. The tension at the table could've been cut with a knife, and both teams went completely silent, eyes fixed on Neptune as the scene unfolded before them. "This um... This is a joke right?" he asked with a nervous chuckle. Both girls shook their heads. "Wow... I guess uh, I guess I... I have to go, I'll see you guys later."

He got up in a hurry and left amid the pleas from the table to stay. After a moment Sun got up as well, "I think I'd better go after him, I'll catch up with guys you later. Oh, and congratulations you two. Blake, you're still straight, right?" His attempt to lighten the mood worked, everyone giggling at the comment. Blake rolled her eyes and nodded, and Sun gave her a thumbs up before taking off after his friend.

"On the bright side, that certainly could've gone worse," Yang said.

Weiss smiled, "I think you handled it well, Neo. Compared to what you were going to do."

Neo sighed, "Thanks, but I kinda feel bad. I hope I didn't make him too upset." A terrible pun from Yang brought the table's attention away from the incident, and they were happily able to resume dinner like any other night. The meal ended and the two teams parted to return to their dorms.

"So what do you guys wanna do for the rest for the rest of the night?" Ruby asked as they arrived back in their room.

"We could always get back to studying," Weiss suggested, earning a scowl from the rest of the team. "Oh fine. I at least want to go check out a few books for from the library."

"I'll do it," Neo offered. "I could use a walk."

"Are you sure? I can go myself, it's not a problem."

Neo nodded and gave her girlfriend a hug before heading out the door. She jumped as she closed it and turned to find Jaune standing behind her. "Oops, sorry, didn't mean to scare you," he said. "Hey um, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Um, sure. What's up?"

Jaune sighed, "Alright, here it is: Everyone knows I have a crush on Weiss, and that she never felt that way towards me. It was really hard, especially when Neptune came along and practically swept her off her feet, but I got through it. I realised that what matters more to me is that she's happy, whether it's with me or someone else. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm happy for you two. I just hope you know how special she is, and that she's someone you should never let go of. Ever. I'm sorry if I sound like a jerk saying all this, but I had to get it off my chest."

Neo wiped a tear from her eye and pulled the boy in for a hug, "Jaune, it takes a true man to say what you just said. Thank you, and just hang in there, there are plenty of girls out there who'd kill to land a guy like you."

"Pff, yeah right. If I come by one I'll let you know."

Neo broke the hug and stared up at him, eyes wide open, "Are you being serious right now?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Have you really not noticed the girl who's head-over-heels for you?" she asked. Jaune's look of confusion gave her the answer. "Oh my God! How blind can you be?"

"There's no way, I definitely would notice something like that."

Neo rolled her eyes, "Apparently not. I'll give you a hint: It's starts with a P."

"P? Wait, you mean Penny? The robot girl?" he asked, his confusion only growing.

Neo put her head in her hand, "No, not her. Come on, how many other girls do you know whose names start with P?"

"Well, there's Pyrrha, but she..." he started before a wave of realisation sweep over him.

Neo giggled, "Nice taking with you, Jaune. I'll see you tomorrow." She left the boy standing open-mouthed in the hallway and went off to check out Weiss' books. Her walk was made more pleasant by the cool night air and chirping of the crickets along the path. She arrived at the library and picked up the necessary books, scanning them at the front desk before heading back to her dorm.

"Good evening, Neo," a voice called out behind her as she made her way back along the path. She jumped and spun to see Professor Ozpin walking her way. "Sorry to startle you."

She laughed, "Don't worry, you're not the first tonight."

"Very well. So tell me, how have you been enjoying the school?" he asked, now walking beside her.

"It's incredible, I've never been happier anywhere in my life. I still can't thank you enough for letting me stay here."

"I'm glad to hear you're adjusting well. I'm also glad to see that only incident you've caused was back in that alley."

Neo froze, "You know about that?"

"Ordinarily, word about things like that travels fast. But in this case, I still had someone watching over you when it happened."

"I uh... I'm really sorry, I-"

"There's no need to defend yourself," Ozpin interrupted. "You reacted that best you knew how, and saved your friend. However, I would advise more caution in the future. Oh, and be sure to come to me if something like that happens again, it makes talking to the police a lot easier"

Neo smiled, "Yes sir. So... am I still under watch now?"

"Yes, but just for another few days." he replied as they arrived at the front of the dorms. "I let you get back to your team. Good night." They parted ways and Neo went inside. She closed the doors and walked to the stairwell, and was caught off guard a third time by someone waiting for her.

Sun waved as she turned the corner, "Hey."

Neo jumped, "Damn it, why is everyone doing that tonight?"

"Sorry. Hey, you got a minute?"

"Yeah I guess, what's up? Nevermind, dumb question. How's Neptune doing?"

"He's not taking it well, that's why I wanted to find you. I've been trying to cheer him up, take his mind off it, but he won't listen. He's pissed. Like, really pissed. I've never seen him act like this. Just wanted to let you know in case he comes after you or something."

Neo smiled, "Thanks for the heads up."

"Alright, I'm gonna get back to the room and check up on him. Later!" Sun waved goodbye and Neo was finally able to return to the dorm.

"What took you so long?" Weiss asked in a surprisingly nice tone as Neo came through the door.

"I got stopped by Jaune, Ozpin and Sun along the way."

Blake looked up from her book, "Everything alright?"

"Mostly. Jaune had to tell me something, Ozpin was just checking up on me, and Sun had an update on Neptune. He's not exactly taking it well."

"I'm not surprised," Yang said, sounding sad. "Not often you lose your girl because she decided to play for the other team."

"Speaking from experience, Yang?" Ruby teased.

"No, but I've been through enough breakups to know what he must be feeling."

Weiss crossed her arms, "But we weren't even dating! We went out as friends once, and I told him I didn't want to take it any further."

Neo shrugged, "Boys are weird." Weiss sighed and took the books over to her desk. Ruby and Yang were both laying in their beds, not doing much of anything, and Blake had gone back to reading. Neo jumped onto her bed and was ready for a quiet evening, but a knock on the door put an end to that hope. She got up at opened the door to see Nora smiling mischievously. "Hey, what's up?" Neo asked, knowing she wouldn't like the answer.

"We're about to start a game of truth or dare back in our dorm, Pyrrha said to invite you guys. Wanna come?" Nora answered, poking her head through the door to address the whole team.

Weiss raised an eyebrow, "Truth or dare? Isn't that a little childish?"

As if on queue, Ruby leapt down from her bunk, "I'm in!"

"Me too!" Yang cheered, joining her sister. "Blake?"

The Faunus girl sighed and set her book down, "Fine. But I'm only gonna pick truth."

"Works for me!" Nora said, turning to Neo and Weiss. "What about you two?"

"I... Alright, we'll come," the heiress replied after seeing the puppy-dog eyes on her girlfriend. Nora jumped with delight and rushed down the the hall toward her dorm, with team RWBY following at a much more leisurely pace. They arrived at the room and were greeted by the rest of Nora's team, who were sat in a circle on the rug in the center of the room.

"Glad you could come!" Pyrrha said as the group joined her on the floor.

"Let's get started!" Ruby said enthusiastically.

"Any rules we should know?" Blake asked.

"Not many," Jaune answered. "Whoever gets asked asks the next person, and so on. You can't ask the person who just asked you. I think we also agreed that dares can't be anything that could get you expelled."

"And this is more of a house rule," Ren added. "Never take a dare from Nora."

Neo nodded, "Sounds good. Who's starting?"

"I will!" Nora shouted. "Hmm... Weiss! Truth or-"

"Truth," the heiress quickly interrupted.

"Let's see... What's your biggest fear?"

Weiss huffed, "I regret this already. Spiders, I'd have to say spiders. Um... Yang, truth or dare?"

"I'll go truth."

"How partners have you had?"

The blonde smirked, "Interesting question, not what I expected from you. Probably around a dozen, if you mean partners in bed. Alright, Neo, truth or dare?"

"Well, Ozpin still has me under surveillance, and it's you, so truth."

"You're no fun," Yang pouted.

The game progressed, mostly consisting of truths, with a few tame dares now and then. After about fifteen minutes, everyone began to grow more comfortable asking personal questions. About a half hour into the game, all boundaries on questions had gone out the door. Yang and Nora usually asked the most outrageous things out of everyone in the group, including questions about fantasies, masturbation habits and various other related fields. After finishing a dare from Pyrrha to do a lap around the building, it was now Neo's turn. "Alright, Jaune," she said, a little out of breath from her run. "Truth or dare?"

He grinned, "Dare."

'_Hmm... Oh, I've got it! Let's see how he reacts to this._'

"I dare you to kiss Pyrrha."

The room went silent, and all eyes turned to Pyrrha. The girl's cheeks had turned a bright shade of red. Jaune didn't know it, but everyone else knew about Pyrrha's crush on him, and they guessed this was what she'd been hoping for the entire game. Jaune looked a little apprehensive, but hadn't forgotten what Neo had told him earlier and wanted to see if she had been right. "Alright," he said, turning to Pyrrha. "You okay with that?"

"I mean, a dare is a dare," she replied, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

Jaune slowly leant in and their lips met, softly at first, but Pyrrha wanted more. She kissed back harder with each passing second, running her hands along Jaune's back and through his hair. At first he was surprised at her aggressiveness, and almost pulled away, but instead kissed her back with the same ferocity. Ren cleared his throat loudly, and the two finally broke the kiss. Pyrrha's face was new red enough to match Ruby's hood, as was Jaune's. They exchanged as a few sheepish glances before adjusting their positions to get back into the circle.

Neo grinned, "Do you believe me now, Jaune?"

"Yup," he said, smiling at Pyrrha. "Now... I think it's only fair I reciprocate your generosity."

"Ooo look at you trying to sound smart," Neo teased. "You can't choose me, I just asked you."

"True, true. Weiss, truth or dare?"

The heiress stopped to think. She wasn't didn't trust what he'd dare her to do, but she'd also shared a lot of information through truths that she wasn't particularly happy about. "Tr... Da... Tru... Dare," she finally decided.

Jaune smirked wickedly, "I dare you to kiss Neo. But I mean like, full on make out."

Weiss froze, "I uh... C-Can I change my answer?"

"What's wrong?" Neo asked, sounding hurt by the statement.

"Well... I haven't had my first kiss yet. I want it to be special."

"If it's with someone you think is special, then it will be special to you," Blake said with a smile.

Yang laughed "You read way too many romance novels."

Neo put her arm around Weiss, "It's your call, I wouldn't blame you for saying no."

"Since when can you just say no to a dare?" Nora asked. "C'mon, no one else has-"

"That's enough," Jaune interrupted. "You can switch to truth if you want."

Weiss met her girlfriend's tender gaze, "No, Blake's right."

'_Wait, she's going for it?_' Neo thought as her heart started to race. '_Alright then, here we go._'

Neo had kissed a fair number of boys before then, but this was different. Not just that it was her first kiss with a girl, but that it was with Weiss, that it was with her girlfriend. She tilted her head and leant in, placing a somewhat clumsy kiss on the heiress' lips. Neo could feel Weiss' tension melting away as she kissed her more and more passionately, placing her hands on the heiress' waist and the back of her head. When she felt Weiss was ready, she opened her mouth and introduced her tongue, gliding it into the heiress' mouth. Weiss flinched slightly at the intruder, but didn't break away. She began to explore with her own tongue, the two intertwining as the kiss continued to grow more heated.

"Alright you two," Yang said. "Don't get too crazy now."

The couple reluctantly pulled away from each other, a strand of saliva connecting them as they did. Weiss giggled as she wiped string away, a sound that no one had heard from her before. "That... That was perfect," she said, blushing as she continued to stare into Neo's eyes.

The game went on for another few rounds before the group decided to call it a night. Nora was disappointed she wasn't able to give anyone a dare, but no one else shared that feeling. Team RWBY returned to their room after saying goodnight to everyone, and the five girls crashed onto their beds, surprised at how tired the game had made them. "So Weiss, are you happy you went?" Ruby asked.

"Yes, yes I am," she replied, turning to Neo with a smile.

Yang yawned, "That was actually a lot of fun, we should do it again sometime." One by one girls changed into their pajamas and got ready for bed. Neo was amazed at how much had transpired that day, it seemed that all of her wildest dreams had come to fruition. She let out a content sigh as she curled up in her blankets. Blake walked over to turn out the lights, but a knock on the door stopped her.

"Who the hell is that?" Yang groaned from her bunk.

Blake shrugged and opened to door to find Nora and Ren standing outside, each holding a pillow, a sleeping bag, and a toothbrush. Blake looked confused, "Um... Yes?"

"Do you mind if you crash here tonight?" Ren asked.

Ruby sat up and with a concerned look, "Is everything okay?"

"Mhm!" Nora said cheerfully. "Jaune and Pyrrha asked if they could have the room to themselves tonight, if you get my meaning."

"Oh... OH!" Blake said, her eyes widening as she realised what Nora was saying.

"Wait, Jaune and Pyrrha are...?" Yang asked. "Damn, good for him!"

Neo rolled her eyes, "You guys can stay here. Do you need blankets or anything?"

Ren shook his head, "No thanks, we'll be fine."

"Here, wait," Ruby said, hopping down from her bunk. "One of you can take my bed, Yang and I can bunk together."

Yang nodded, "Cool! Hey love birds, would you mind sharing a bed tonight?"

"Fine with me," Neo said, looking to Weiss for confirmation. The heiress blushed, but nodded. She joined Neo in her bed as Ruby hopped up to Yang's bunk, letting Nora and Ren get comfortable before Blake turned out the lights. Another round of goodnights went out before the room fell silent. "G'night Weiss," Neo whispered, planting a kiss on the heiress' cheek.

Weiss snuggled up with her girlfriend, giving her a kiss in return, "Goodnight."

'_This is greatest day of my life,_' Neo thought as she put her arms around Weiss. '_I can't even think of a way today could've gone better. Well, apart from the whole Neptune thing. But, I did help Jaune and Pyrrha get together. One broken heart, one match, so I guess I broke even. I'm not even surprised they took the room for themselves, if I'd been waiting that long for Weiss I probably wouldn't have been able to stop during the game. I wonder what it'll be like when Weiss and I... I'll save that thought for later, after all, that's a long way off._' She smiled as she drifted off to sleep, imagining what the future had in store for her and Weiss.

**Hi guys! If you enjoyed this chapter, you'll be happy to know there's plenty of action coming up! Thank you everyone who's followed and favourited, it's awesome to see so many people liking the story. :) Anyway, I'll get back to writing. See ya next time!**


	7. Chapter 7: Repairing the Damage

Chapter 7: Repairing the Damage

The sun rose on everyone's least favourite day of the week: Monday. That is, everyone except for Neo. Growing up the way she had, being up early on most any day of the week was a given, whether it was to pull off a robbery on time, ambush a target, etc. However, today was a little different. It wasn't that she didn't want to be up early, rather she didn't want to stop cuddling with Weiss. Unfortunately for her, Ruby's alarm put an end to that hope. The room was woken up about a half hour earlier than usual to allow Nora and Ren time to shower, since neither one wanted to walk in on Jaune and Pyrrha.

Everyone finished their morning routine and the group proceeded to their first class of the day, which today was Oobleck's lecture. Neo couldn't help laughing to herself at the difference between this and last Monday as they walked through the halls. One week ago, Weiss hated everything about her. Now, the two were walking hand in hand to class. They arrived a few minutes early, and team JNPR was reunited with its other half as they took their seats.

"Hey you two," Yang said with a wink. "What were you crazy kids up to last night?"

Pyrrha blushed, "I don't think we need to get into that."

"Oh come on, we're all friends here, you can-"

"So are you guys finally together?" Ruby interrupted, steering the conversation away from where Yang was leading it.

"Yes, we are." Jaune said, taking Pyrrha's hand as both teams cheered at the announcement. "And we have Neo to thank for it."

Neo smiled, "Any time! But, I'm sure you'd have gotten together without me."

"You'd be surprised," Yang laughed. "I don't think I've ever seen someone as clueless as he was. How he still didn't get it after the dance is beyond me."

Blake gave her partner a light slap on the head, "Be nice."

Professor Oobleck arrived just in time to stop the two from getting into an argument, and class began. Today's lecture was a continuation from last week, still examining post-war Vacuo. Thankfully, this was the last of such lectures, as it brought the history up to present day. While not Neo's favourite class, she didn't mind listening to Oobleck's caffeine-fuelled babblings. She still had an eagerness to learn, and at the speed the professor rambled at, she was happy to be able to take in such a volume of information in only one class period.

The lecture eventually concluded and the group continued their normal routine: Next was lunch, followed by Professor Port's class. Lunch was fairly uneventful, apart from a little prodding at Jaune and Pyrrha for details about their night together, which neither one was ready to surrender. Team SSSN was nowhere to be seen, giving the impression that Neptune was purposefully avoiding Neo and Weiss, or that Sun was keeping him away from them until the tension was diffused. Either way, Neo couldn't blame them for not coming.

Professor Port's lecture went exactly as expected. What started as a lesson on Ursa Major combat tactics somehow turned into a tale from Port's youth about building a treehouse. The story drug on, testing the patience of every student in the room. Neo noticed even Weiss was having trouble keeping her eyes open. She yawned, "Hey Weiss, still think we need to take notes on this?"

"Oh hush! You're lucky you're cute."

"Whoa, was that a compliment? I think that's a first." The lecture continued, getting more and more off topic with every word the professor spoke. Neo hit her breaking point around the time that a tire swing came into the story, and finally leant over to rest her head on her girlfriend's shoulder.

Weiss raised an eyebrow, "What do you think you're doing?"

"Nooothing," Neo replied as cutely as possible, nuzzling into the crook of the heiress' neck. Weiss rolled her eyes, but didn't push the girl away. Instead, she leant her own head against Neo's. They nodded off to sleep, both smiling, until Blake shook them awake at the end of class.

"You two are so cute," the Faunus commented as they gathered their things.

"Too bad your names don't make a good couples name," Yang said. "Neoss, Weio, Neiss... They're terrible!"

Nora's face suddenly lit up, "WAIT! I've got it! Your full name is Neopolitan, like the ice cream. What about... Weiss Cream!?"

Weiss dropped her books, all the colour draining from her face, "If any of you ever call us that I swear-"

"IT'S PERFECT!" Ruby interrupted, ignoring her partner completely. Both teams laughed, except for Weiss, who resembled an angry cartoon character with steam coming from their ears. Neo quickly wrapped her in a bear hug to keep her from killing Nora and Ruby, and eventually the group left to go to combat training. They arrived on time and took their seats in the arena stands, Weiss still fuming despite having a long walk to get there to calm down.

Yang laughed, "Jeez, are you really that mad about the name?"

"Of course I am!" the heiress exclaimed. "It's so childish and stupid!"

"I kinda like it," Neo giggled, earning a death stare from her girlfriend.

"Are you serious!? How could you even-?"

Weiss was interrupted by Professor Goodwitch as she walked out into the ring, "Good afternoon students! As you know, this is our last class together before your exam on Wednesday, so I expect your best effort today. We'll get started right away with... Cardin Winchester against Neptune Vasilias."

Neo looked over to team SSSN's usual spot, and saw only three of its members sitting there. She made eye contact Sun, who shook his head. He stood up, "Neptune isn't here, he's uh... feeling a little under the weather."

"Very well, why don't you come take his place in this match?"

Yang leant over to Blake, "Is he really taking it that hard that he can't come to class?"

"Apparently so. Neo, Weiss, one of you should talk to him."

Neo looked up, "I'll do it. After all, I'm probably the one he's more upset with."

The group's attention was pulled back to the ring as Glynda signalled the start of the match. Both Sun and Cardin charged at each other, but Sun struck first. Cardin landed a few good hits throughout the match, but in the end Sun was just too fast for him. The match was eventually called for Sun, and Professor Goodwitch came back out to announce the next. Yang now squared off against Jaune, but it was hardly a contest. Yang went easy, but still won without breaking a sweat. Neo didn't pay much attention to the next fights, she was more concerned with what she was going to say to Neptune. When nothing came to mind after almost half the class period was over, she decided just to wing it, which didn't make her feel any more confident at how it would go.

"The next match will be Neopolitan versus Blake Belladonna," Goodwitch announced, bringing Neo out of her thoughts.

The two entered the arena and took their positions at either end. While Neo may not have felt up to fighting, Beo had no such issue. She took over as the match began, and stood with a sniff expression to let her opponent make the first move. Blake's fighting style combined with her semblance gave Beo the first real challenge in combat she'd had in a long time, apart from the four-on-one match with JNPR. The Faunus' speed and agility pushed Beo's ability to dodge and parry to its limits, and she found herself having to resort to using her umbrella to deflect the attacks far more than usual. The match was very close, both girls seeming equally matched, until a series of opportune strikes sent Beo into the ground, and ended the fight with Blake the victor. Glynda called the match, and Neo laid still for a moment while she returned to normal.

Blake extended a hand to help her up, "That was a good fight. I really thought you were gonna take it at the end."

"Me too," Neo replied, returning to her feet. "I'd love a rematch at some point."

"You're on. I'll see if I can reserve a spot here tomorrow."

They returned to their seats and the matches continued until the end of class. The bell rang and group got up and shuffled to the exit with the rest of the students, ready to head back to the dorms. However, Neo didn't want to waste any time in finding Neptune. "Hey, I'll catch up with you guys later," she said, looking through the crowd. "I need to go talk to Sun."

"Alright," Ruby answered. "We'll be over in the courtyard if you need us."

"Actually, I think I'll just head back to the room to review some notes," Weiss added.

Neo nodded and turned to begin her search. Unfortunately for her, team SSSN had left through the exit on the other side of the arena, making Neo's efforts to find Sun harder than expected. She worked her way through the crowd and reached the exit, scanning the pathways for any sign of the monkey Faunus. Luckily, his tail made him easy to distinguish. "Hey Sun!" she called out as she ran after him, catching his attention.

"Huh? Oh, hey Neo! What's up?"

"Do you know where Neptune is? I need to talk to him."

Sun thought a moment, "I think he said he was going to the library to be alone. He-"

"Perfect, thanks!"

She turned to leave, but Scarlet grabbed her arm to stop her, "Hey, just be careful. He's already angry enough, don't send him over the edge."

Neo nodded, "Got it."

She ran to the library, hoping to catch him if he hadn't already left. She arrived and looked around, but couldn't find him anywhere in the open, not that she had expected to. '_Figures, he's probably in one of the private study rooms,_' she thought. '_Guess I'll just have to start knocking._' She got right to it, moving from room to room, but after almost twenty minutes she was starting to think he'd already left. With a sigh, she turned to leave, but something caught her eye across the way. She turned to see a blue-haired boy darting from the men's room and into a study lounge, slamming the door behind him. Without wasting any more time, she ran over and knocked on the door.

"Sorry, this room's taken," Neptune said from inside. Ignoring him, Neo turned the handle and walked in. "I said this... Oh..."

"Hey Neptune," Neo said calmly, shutting the door behind her. "Can we talk?"

He glared at her, "No, just get out."

"Please? We're all really worried about you, and-"

"I said get out! God damn, just fuck off!" he yelled, but Neo didn't flinch.

"I'm not leaving until we talk about this, whether you like it or not."

"I... Fine..." Neptune sighed and sat down, burying his face in his hands. Neo pulled up a chair next to him, and put a hand on his shoulder. She expected his response to be another angry comment, or even a physical reaction. Instead, he broke down and started to cry, catching Neo completely by surprise. He looked up at her in tears, "Happy now? Is this what you wanted, to see me like this?"

"Neptune, that's not why I'm here," Neo replied, pulling him into a hug. "I want to help you. You don't need to try to be cool here, I won't judge you. Whatever you say stays between us."

He wiped his eyes, "Alright, I guess. I just, I don't understand it. Weiss and I were a sure thing. I know I was a little too forward, but..."

"You need to let this go. It's not healthy to obsess over it."

"Easy for you to say! What if she'd gone for me and not you? You'd be the same way right now!" Neptune exclaimed. Neo went to respond, but couldn't think of what to say. "Exactly. I know you mean well, but you're not gonna be able to help me."

"Alright, I admit I wouldn't be doing any better. But, you know what? If it were me hiding it in here, and you came looking for me to try to cheer me up, I know I'd feel better knowing someone wanted to help."

He sighed, "You don't get it. I just... I've never felt like this about anyone before. She's... perfect. In every way. I'll never find someone like her again."

Neo chuckled, "You remind me of another boy who also had a crush on Weiss."

"Who, Jaune?"

"Yeah. He was so crazy about Weiss, he never even noticed Pyrrha. Oh, that's right! You missed it, they're a couple now!"

"Wait, really?" Neptune asked in surprise. "Damn, good for him!"

"Yeah, that seems to be everyone's reaction. But anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that maybe there's an even more perfect girl you've been overlooking. If you're hiding in here moping over Weiss, you'll never find her."

"Huh... That actually does kinda help," Neptune said with a faint smile. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Do you love her?"

"W-What?" Neo asked, caught off guard by the question.

Neptune sighed, "She deserves to be happy, to be with someone that cares about her more than anything else in the world. I want that to be me, but if she would rather be with you, then I have no right to stand in the way of her happiness. I just have to know, do you love her?"

'_Love her?_' Neo thought. '_We've been together for a day, it's way too early for that, isn't it? I mean, I really like her, she's amazing, but... No, no buts. She perfect, I don't think I could feel like this about anyone else. No, I couldn't, because there won't ever be a someone else_.'

She smiled, "Yeah... I do. I love her, more than anything."

Neptune smiled back, but Neo knew inside his heart was breaking. She hugged him again, harder than before, and he hugged back. "Then I wish you two nothing but the best," he said, his voice cracking as he tried to hold back from crying again.

"That means a lot from you, thank you. Now come on, let's get back to the dorms. I'm sure your team will be happy to see you're okay."

"You go ahead, I need another minute," he replied, wiping his eyes. Neo gave him a worried look, and he smiled. "Don't worry, I'm alright. I just want to pull myself together before I leave. Can't be seen crying like this, ya know?"

"Alright. I'll see you in class tomorrow?"

He nodded, "You bet."

Neo got up and walked to the door, and gave one last look back at the blue-haired boy before she left. He didn't look like he was back to his old self, and she didn't expect him to be, but he certainly looked better than he had when she walked in. She smiled, happy that she'd actually been able to help him. She left the library and went directly to team SSSN's room, knocking vigorously on this door when she arrived.

"Jeez, what's the hurry?" Sun asked as he opened in the door. "Oh, hey Neo. Did you find Neptune?"

"Yeah, I did. We talked for a bit, and I think he's gonna be alright."

"Really? Oh thank God. Neo, you're the best," Sun said with a sigh of relief.

She blushed, "Thanks. He should be on his way back here now."

"Cool. Alright, well I need to get back to studying for that dumb plant test tomorrow. I'll catch you later."

They said goodbye and Sun closed the door, and Neo decided to go meet Weiss back in their room. She was surprised when she arrived to see the door was wide open. "Hey Weiss, why'd you leave the door open?" she asked, receiving no answer. "Hello? Huh, guess she went out somewhere."

She closed the door behind her and turned to see the window wide open, the wind blowing the curtains around wildly. She rushed over and shut the window, and groaned when she turned to see the mess it had created. With a sigh, she began picking up papers that had been strewn around the room. '_First the door, then the window? How much of a hurry was she in?_' Neo thought as a folded note with her name on it caught her eye. '_A note? Why wouldn't she just message me on her scroll? Wait, this isn't even her handwriting._'

Suspicious, she picked it up and began reading it in her head, '_Neo, I hope you've had an enjoyable first week of school. Unfortunately, it's time we got back to business. I'm very disappointed with the choices you've made. I'd hoped to bring you back on my operation, but you've made it clear that won't be the case. So now, what to do with you? At first we were going to take with your redheaded leader to get your attention, but you gave us a much better target yesterday. Don't worry, we won't hurt her, so long as you cooperate. Be at the address attached at the bottom of this letter at midnight, and we'll have little a discussion about what happens next. Regards, Cinder._'

The note slipped from Neo's hands, her entire body frozen in horror. '_Oh my God, she has Weiss!? How? How did she find me here? Emerald and Mercury, we had a deal! Why would they...? Fuck it, fuck it all! It doesn't matter anymore, I need to get Weiss back. What do I do? I can't just meet Cinder, she'll kill us both, I know it. I have to go to Ozpin._'

Neo snatched the note off the ground and sprinted from the dorms. She was in complete shock, her whole body feeling numb, but she still ran as fast as her legs allowed her. She knew that Cinder was lying about not hurting Weiss as well, and didn't want to think of what was happening to her girlfriend right now because of her. _'I never should've made that agreement. I knew it would come back to haunt me, but I never imagined like this. Fuck! How could I be so fucking stupid?_'

She charged up the stairs to Ozpin's office as tears started to well in her eyes. She flung open the doors, "Professor Ozpin! Weiss has-" She stopped mid-sentence at what she saw inside. Ozpin stood with his back to the door, General Ironwood to his left. Neo's eyes went straight past them and to the white-haired girl they were facing. It was Weiss, her clothes covered in dirt, her face and hands as well, along with numerous cuts and bruises.

"Neo!" the heiress exclaimed, running across the room to hug her girlfriend.

Neo was utterly confused, "Weiss, you're okay! But, Cinder? The note, what?"

"Perhaps I can clear some things up," Ozpin said, turning you the two. "Your teammate is very lucky. One of my informants found the note in your room, and General Ironwood sent troops to retrieve her after it was brought to our attention. Unfortunately, her captors eluded custody. What the general's men report about the kidnappers is somewhat... disturbing. All three of them are in our student database under the names Emerald, Mercury and Cinder as visiting for the Vytal Festival. I have a feeling you might know a little more about them, and their real reason for being here. I also understand you've had contact with two of them while you were here. Care to explain?"

Neo looked down at her feet, "Yes sir. Emerald and Mercury work for Cinder, like I did. Last week they came up to me after class, and at first I thought they'd been sent to kill me, but they weren't. We had an agreement that I wouldn't tell anyone about them if they didn't tell Cinder I was here. I didn't want to do it, but I was afraid if I came to you, Cinder would come after me and my team, but I guess she had it in mind to do that anyway."

"You skipped the first part," Ironwood interjected. "Why are they here at all?"

"I-I don't know. Cinder never told me any of her long term plans. My job was just to guard Roman, I swear."

Ozpin calmly sipped his coffee, "First, let me say I'm very disappointed that you would not come to me immediately with that kind of information. You're very lucky that Miss Schnee wasn't more seriously hurt, and I doubt you'd be so lucky again. I'm going to ask you now if there is anything else you know that you're keeping from me. I'm willing to overlook this incident and call it a minor a lapse in judgment, but should I find you've withheld anything else, I'll be forced to turn you over to the general. So, I want you to think very hard before you answer. Is there something more you wish to tell me?"

"No sir," Neo said quietly after a moment.

Ozpin nodded, "Very well. Should you remember anything, I advise you come to me before I find out for myself. I won't levy any sort of punishment against you per-say, however, I'll be extending my watch over you indefinitely. That will be all."

"That's it?" Ironwood asked angrily. "You're simply letting her go? Ozpin, the Vytal Festival is less than a month away, we can't have liabilities like her compromising its security! Asher what's just happened, I'll be stationing guards throughout this campus to ensure that Miss Schnee's captors, or anyone else from their operation for that matter, won't step foot in this school. As for Neo, she will be coming with me for further interrogation, and-"

"She will do no such thing," Ozpin sternly interrupted. "I've had her under close watch since her arrival, and I have no reason to suspect she poses any threat to the school, the festival, or anyone else."

The general sighed, "You may have forgotten, but I've been appointed as head of security for this event, and I will not allow anyone here who is a risk to the safety of the people."

"And if I should come across anyone whom I feel is, I'll let you know right away. Now then, Neo, Weiss, the two of you are dismissed. The general and I need to speak in private."

The girls nodded and quickly left the room, Ironwood glaring at Neo until they were out of sight. Weiss closed the doors behind them, and Neo dropped the ground the instant they shut, unable to contain her emotions.

"Weiss, I'm so sorry," she said in tears. "I never thought-"

Weiss didn't wait for her to finish, "What the hell were you thinking!? How could you make an agreement like that?"

"I'm sorry! I didn't want you guys to get hurt, and-"

"Well look how that worked out! You can't just-" Weiss stopped web she turned and saw the look of despair in her girlfriend's eyes. She sighed and collected her thoughts. "Neo, I know you meant well, but you should've known better than to trust them."

"I know, I know! I-I didn't want to do it, but I... I just... I don't even know. Weiss, I'm so sorry, please forgive me."

The heiress' gaze softened, and she took a seat beside Neo on the floor, "I forgive you. Just promise me you won't keep secrets like that anymore."

"I promise," Neo replied weakly.

"Good, now let's go," Weiss said, standing up and pulling Neo to her feet. "I want to get back to the room, I really need to lay down."

"Of course," Neo replied, taking her girlfriend's hand and leading her back to the dorms.

"So, did you get to talk to Neptune?" Weiss asked as they approached their room.

"Mhm! He didn't want to at first, but I got through to him. He's gonna be just fine."

"I'm glad to hear that." They arrived at their room and were greeted by that rest of their team, who had already been informed of what happened via a message from Ozpin on their scrolls. Weiss got into bed as Neo explained what she had told Ozpin. The team wasn't happy with her, but what they cared about more was that both her and Weiss were alright. She was relieved they weren't angrier, and turned back to Weiss.

She walked over and kissed the heiress' forehead, "Get some rest, we still have a date tonight if you're feeling up to it."

"It'll take a lot more than this to make me miss it," Weiss smiled, and was asleep within minutes.

"I've never seen Weiss this happy before," Blake said, looking over at Neo. "I don't think she's smiled this much since Zwei was here. You've made a real impression on her."

"No kidding," Yang added. "You might've actually melted the ice queen's frozen heart."

Neo smiled, "I've never been this happy before either. I know it's only been a week since we met, and a day since we got together, but I don't think there's any doubt about it in my mind... I love her."

"Awww!" came in unison from the rest of the team, making her blush.

Ruby giggled, "So, can I ask you something?"

"Anything," Neo replied.

"Can we pleeeease call you two Weiss Cream?"

**Hi guys! If you liked the chapter, I'd love your feedback on what you want to see more of, so please leave a review if you've got something to say. Chapters will probably start to be published more sporadically now that classes have started up again, and it looks like my homework load will not be kind to me. Blame my calculus professor. Anyway, next chapter will be focused on Weiss and Neo, so if you're a fan of "steamy" romance, stick around. ;) See ya next time!**


	8. Chapter 8: Uncharted Territory

**Hello again! Sorry this one took so long, but, you know, school and stuff. So let me again say thank you to everyone who's read this far. I saw I passed 5,000 views today, and have 80 followers as of now. I'm glad you're all enjoying the story, and I'll make sure to keep giving you more. As always, leave a review if you've got something you'd like to share, and now, without further ado, the next chapter!**

**UPDATE: There's been a bit of a "purge" of explicit materials going around the site, so it's possible that this story may get flagged if I leave in the smut. Needless to say, I don't want that to happen. :P What I've decided to do is cut the sex scenes from the story altogether just to be safe. Don't blame me, blame the site. I know it's disappointing, but I'd rather not run the risk of this story being taken down. The uncut version is still available via my Google Docs though! There's a link on my page, and on my Facebook page for everyone!**

Chapter 8: Uncharted Territory

Three weeks passed after Weiss' attempted kidnapping, and things at Beacon had returned to normal. Well, mostly. Neptune was back to his old self, and team SSSN could once again rejoin the group with RWBY and JNPR. Weiss had expected things between them to be awkward for a while, but to her surprise he had no trouble at all being around her and Neo. General Ironwood did exactly has he said and stationed soldiers to patrol the campus day and night. Students were required to show ID when entered the campus and certain buildings around the school, and occasionally guards would stop students on their way to class for random checks as well. Ozpin was furious, but his hands were tied. He did however inform Neo after a week that he'd ended his watch on her.

With the Vytal Festival on Friday, now only four days away, today marked the beginning of a long awaited break from classes, lasting until the following Friday when the festival concluded. Combat training the week before consisted of qualifying matches for the tournament, which all teams took very seriously. Pyrrha and Blake qualified with outstanding scores, not to anyone's surprise. Sun, Neptune, Scarlet, Weiss, Ruby and Ren all qualified as well. Neo's score had also been high enough to participate, but Ironwood refused to let her compete. Ozpin did his best to enter her, but in the end the general's word was final.

"I can't believe him!" Yang said angrily, pacing in a circle. It was just past two in the afternoon, and the members of team RWBY were gathered in their dorm. Neo had just returned from Ozpin's office with the final verdict on her admittance to the tournament. She was sat on her bed, Weiss at her side, understandably upset.

Blake shook her head, "It's not fair, you haven't done enough wrong enough to justify this."

"It's not his fault," Neo sighed. "Ozpin said he tried his best to get me in, but Ironwood wouldn't budge."

"Maybe you could convince him yourself?" the Faunus said hopefully.

"How? I know I haven't gotten into trouble, and my grades are above average so he can see I've been working hard, but unless I hand him Cinder's head on a silver plate, I doubt he'll change his mind."

Weiss stroked Neo's hair, "It's still worth a try. The worst he can do is still say no. Besides, you're too cute to say no to in person."

Neo smiled at her girlfriend's compliment. Since the day they started dating, Weiss had become a whole new person, at least while they were in each other's company. Her cold, proper, almost snobby attitude transformed into one more free spirited, compassionate, and altogether more fun to be around. In the first week they were together, Weiss' limit on public displays of affection stopped at holding hands. But, after Neo pulled her into a long kiss to celebrate her admittance to the tournament in from of virtually the whole school, that limit quickly disappeared. She was still afraid to tell her father since he would likely forbid the two from seeing each other, but knew that one day he'd find out on his own, and that telling him herself would hopefully make it go over more smoothly. Either way, she didn't want that day to come any time soon.

Lately, Neo's mind had been a little preoccupied with taking their relationship to the next level. With how often Jaune and Pyrrha spent the night together, it was hard to resist the thought her and Weiss doing the same. However, seeing where Neptune's forwardness had landed him made her somewhat afraid to make the move so soon. Still, with how fast every other aspect of their relationship had progressed thus far, she felt that simply suggesting it couldn't cause too much harm if the heiress weren't ready yet.

"Hey, are you even listening to me?" Weiss asked, waving a hand in front of Neo's face.

"Huh? Uh, yeah, of course," Neo replied as she snapped out of her thoughts. "Something about Ironwood and me being cute."

Weiss rolled her eyes, "Just talk to him, please?"

"Alright, I'll go to Ozpin's office tomorrow to see if he can tell me where to find him."

"Good. So, what do you guys want to do with our first day off?"

Blake looked up from her book, "I'm fine just laying here reading."

"We know," Yang laughed. "Can't get enough of those 'Ninjas of Love' can you?"

"Oh shut up."

Ruby hopped down from her bunk, "You guys wanna head into town for the day? I think the movie theatre is showing the new 'Mad King Ryan' movie."

Weiss shrugged, "Sure, I'd be up for that. Maybe after we could go someplace nice for dinner? My treat."

"That's very nice of you," Blake said. "Sounds like fun."

Yang perked up at the thought of her team in a classy restaurant, "Count me in! But don't expect me to use any proper manners at dinner."

"That would require you to have proper manners in the first place," Weiss smirked.

Neo laughed, "Be nice. Count me in too."

"Then it's decided!" Ruby cheered. "We'll head out in a minute, I wanna go see if team JNPR wants to come along."

Their leader dashed out of the room in a flurry of rose petals, and the rest of the team got ready to leave. Neo was a little disappointed to be spending the rest of the afternoon together as a team, since she'd been hoping to get some alone time with Weiss.

'_I suppose I could try after we get back,_' she thought, heading to the bathroom to fix her makeup. '_No, everyone will be tired and not want to go anywhere once we get back, and I'm certainly not about to kick them out. I should probably try to get some advice first too, it's not like I have any experience. Maybe Yang can help, she seems to get around a lot, she's probably slept with a girl before. And if not, I'm sure she'll have something helpful to say._'

Neo exited the bathroom as Ruby returned alone, looking a little disappointed. "They're busy tonight," the redhead said sadly. "Anyway, there's a showing in a half hour, so we've got a little time to get there. We should probably leave now to be safe though."

Neo decided to take this opportunity to talk alone with Yang, "I'll meet you guys there in a little bit. Yang, can you help me with something quick?"

The blonde looked confused, "Um, alright? You guys go ahead, we'll catch up."

"Sounds good!" Ruby replied, and departed with the rest of the team.

"So whatdya need help with?" Yang asked.

Neo took a seat on her bed, already feeling nervous, "Actually, I was hoping I could get some... advice from you."

That slight hesitation told the brawler all she needed to know for what their conversation would be about, "Oooo I know where this is going!"

"Oh God, please don't make a big deal out of it!"

Yang shrugged, "No promises. So whatdya wanna know?" Surprisingly, she didn't seem to be bothered by the subject of discussion. Not that that was a bad thing, but it was certainly unexpected.

Neo blushed, "Um... Anything and everything, I guess. I wanna make sure I'm doing everything right. I don't have any experience with this, and I doubt Weiss does either."

"Just to be clear, you're talking about what to do in bed, right?" Yang asked, receiving a nod. "Alright. Well first, lemme see your hands."

Neo complied, "Okay, why?"

"Gotta make sure your nails are trimmed. Yours look good, and I'll assume Weiss keeps hers groomed as well. So, you're saying you've never done anything below the waist before? Like, not even by yourself?"

Neo's face reddened even more, "I mean, on my own yes, but not with anyone else, boy or girl."

"Well, on another girl you pretty much just to do the same things you'd do to yourself. What works for you will probably get her off too."

"Alright. What about... like... going down?" Neo asked, shifting her position. The conversion felt incredibly awkward to her, and the colour of her cheeks reflected it. Luckily, Yang didn't share that feeling.

"Just use your tongue like you would use your finger, you're still basically doing the same stuff. Although, I'd be careful if I were you. I imagine licking Weiss is like licking a metal pole in winter. Oh, make sure you both shave before you do. It makes finding everything the first time easier, and it's just nicer in general."

Neo laughed, "Find everything? Is it really that hard to find?"

"Not really, but your nerves will probably get the best of you at first, so being able to see what you're doing is nice."

"Okay. Anything else I should know?"

Yang thought for a minute, "The best advice I can give is to go slow and ease into it, no need to rush to good stuff right away. Have a little foreplay, be sensual, be romantic. I'm guessing it'll be her first time too, so you'll want to make sure it's special."

"I'll be sure I do," Neo said with a smile. "Thanks Yang, I'm glad I can come to you for stuff like this."

"No problem!" the blonde cheerfully replied. "So are you gonna make the move tonight? I can get everyone out of the room if you need me to."

Neo shook her head at first, but then stopped after giving it a little more thought. '_I suppose I could try tonight. I mean, what's the worst she could say? I wouldn't push it on her, just bring it up and see how she reacts._'

She shrugged, "I guess it'll depend. I was planning on getting some alone time with her tonight, but I don't know if I want to go for it yet."

Yang smiled, "Well, gimme a signal later if you want the room to yourselves. Anything else you wanna ask?"

"I think that's it, at least for now," Neo said, relieved that the most awkward conversation she'd had to date was over.

"Okie dokie. C'mon then, let's go catch up with everyone before they get too far ahead." The two grabbed their purses and hurried out the door in pursuit of their teammates. They caught up with them rather quickly, since the group had been stopped for a random ID check not long after leaving the dorms. The group was stopped again as they left the campus, much to the annoyance of the girls. The guards were very suspicious of Neo leaving, but had no grounds to stop her. "Assholes," Yang commented once they were out of earshot.

"They're only doing their jobs," Blake replied. "Ironwood's just being cautious. I'm not saying I agree with him, but still."

"That doesn't mean they're not assholes."

Weiss rolled her eyes, "Can you go fifteen minutes without making a rude comment?"

"Nope," Yang said with a wide smile.

The weather outside was much colder than expected, making the girls regret their usual choice of wardrobe as the walked. The wind and cloud cover didn't do anything to help either. The team arrived at the movie theatre shivering, expect for Yang, whose semblance acted like her own personal space heater. They bought their tickets and popcorn and, after prying Ruby away from the candy case, hurried to their seats as the last of the previews ended.

Having not seen the first movie in the series, Neo was very lost as the plot got underway, but she didn't mind. She spend the majority of the film cuddling up against Weiss as best the seats would allow. Weiss did her best to fill her in on backstory when needed, but gave up near the end of the movie, seeing as Neo wasn't paying much attention anyway. The credits rolled at the end of film and the team stood up to stretch. They shuffled out of the aisle and stopped at the restroom before exiting the theatre.

"That was awesome!" Ruby said as they walked, looking around at her teammates to see if they shared her excitement. "What'd you guys think?"

Blake shrugged, "The first one was better. I didn't like how they made Mogar into a superhero. It was alright though."

"I wasn't a huge fan of the first movie, but I thought it was pretty good," Weiss added.

Yang was quick to side with Ruby, "Pretty good? It was amazing! I thought I was gonna die laughing when Edgar escaped the second time!"

This sparked a heated debate between the four girls, which Neo simply watched with amusement. She would've let them continue all night, but a low rumbling reminded her of the second part of their day out. "So Weiss, where're we going for dinner?" she asked, interrupting the argument.

"Hmm... Let's see," the heiress said, considering her options. "There's a very high class restaurant a few blocks from here. Normally you need reservations a few weeks in advance, but I think I could get us in."

"What do the portion sizes look like?" Yang asked. "If their idea of a meal is smaller than an appetizer, count me out." The rest of the team agreed with her, leaving Weiss to come up with another option.

"Alright, well there's a rather pricey steak and seafood place by the docks we could go to."

Ruby gave her a puzzled look, "Didn't that get destroyed when we fought Roman at the docks?"

"No, you're thinking of a boating shop," Weiss replied. "Anyway, does that sound good for everyone?"

The team nodded their heads in approval and they followed Weiss to the restaurant. It was packed when they arrived, with a sign out front saying to expect a forty-five minute wait. However, being a Schnee, Weiss was able to get them in with no wait at all. A waiter took them to a larger table in the center of the room, and handed them menus before taking their drink orders and returning to the kitchen. Neo found she liked the atmosphere inside. The decor was mostly made of wood, with a lot of elements of the outdoors, including a few mounted game heads.

The waiter returned quickly with their drinks and pulled out a notepad to take their orders. Yang went all in and ordered large a surf and turf special, while Weiss went with a more modest chicken salad. Blake chose a salmon fillet, which brought on another round of jokes about cats and fish from Yang. Ruby ordered a simple sirloin, and finally Neo decided on a rack of ribs. The waiter put the orders in and, after the promise of a large tip from Weiss, had their food brought out in record time. The team fell silent as they all dug in, only returning to conversation once their plates were half empty.

"Hey Neo, I hope you can get used to this," Yang said with a mouthful of steak. "With all the money Weiss has, this'll just be your usual Monday night."

Weiss scowled, "Just because I come from wealth doesn't mean I always want to flash it around. I enjoy eating in the dining hall or at a little burger joint just as much as I would here."

"Either way, I wouldn't mind," Neo smiled, giving the heiress a peck on the cheek. "What matters is it's with you."

Weiss smiled back, "You are so sweet." She leant over and gave her girlfriend a kiss on the lips, earning an "Awww" from the rest of the team.

Dinner continued with some conversations about the upcoming festival and school work, and finally came to an end when the girls decided they'd left no room for dessert. Weiss paid the check and left a hefty tip before the team got up and started the walk back to Beacon. With the sun having already set, the walk back was even colder than the walk down, with all of the girls now huddled around Yang to keep from freezing. They arrived at the gates and prepared for a full integration from the guards, but luckily they had left their posts to get out of the cold. The group finally arrived back in their dorm and each dove under the covers of their beds, desperate to warm up. Neo and Weiss snuggled up in the heiress' bed, each happy to have the warmth of the other.

"You guys are babies," Yang laughed as she just up took a seat on her own bed.

Ruby stuck her tongue out, "Easy for you to say, you can't get cold!" Her sister responded with the same gesture before laying back on her pillow. "Well other than the cold, everyone have fun today?"

"Mhm," Neo replied, turning Weiss' head to give her a kiss. "I'm alright with the cold, it gives me an excuse to cuddle."

Weiss laughed and kissed her back, "As if you'd need an excuse in the first place." She went to pull away, but Neo kept her where she was, keeping their lips locked until Blake pretended to caught to get them to stop.

_'I hope Yang wasn't kidding about getting everyone out_,' Neo thought as she finally broke the embrace, letting Weiss catch her breath. She turned to the blonde and raised her eyebrows twice in quick succession.

Yang grinned and slid off her bunk, "Hey Ruby, Blake, can I talk to you guys in the hall quick?"

"Um, sure. Is everything okay?" Blake asked, looking concerned.

"Of course! Just come outside for a second," the blonde insisted. Ruby groaned, not wanting to get out of bed, but eventually followed Blake and Yang out of the room. Before she closed the door, Yang turned back to Neo and Weiss. "Have fun you two," she said with a wink, and shut the door.

Weiss gave her girlfriend a confused look, "What's going on with her?"

"I uh..." Neo started, instantly turning a bright shade of red. "I asked her if we could have the room to ourselves for a while."

"You...?" the heiress trailed off, not taking long to guess the implications. "Wait, are saying...?"

"N-no! Well..." Neo stammered, afraid she was being too forward. "I mean, not necessarily. We don't have to do anything at all if you want. I just wanted us to have some time to ourselves, since we haven't really had any."

"You seriously kicked the rest of the team out so we could... mess around?" Weiss asked hesitantly. Neo was already regretting her decision, but it was too late to go back.

"W-Well, not exactly. I'm sorry, it's just been hard not to think about it with how often Jaune and Pyrrha are together. Look, forget I asked. I'll call Yang and get everyone-"

"No!" Weiss interrupted, sounding far more eager than she had planned to. "I mean... I'm not saying no, but let's just take it one step at a time."

"Of course, of course," Neo replied, placing a hand on Weiss' shoulder.

The heiress smiled shyly, her mind now in the same place Neo's had been.

'_Shit, I think I might've killed the mood before it even started,_' Neo thought sadly.

Undeterred, she pulled her girlfriend's face in close to hers, their lips meeting tenderly at first. Neo hadn't realised it, but Weiss had also been preoccupied over the past week thinking about the two of them taking things to the next level, although she was far too shy about the subject to admit it then. But that didn't matter here, and now all of the heiress' desires finally came out. She kissed back hungrily, taking Neo completely by surprise.

Neo wasn't about to tell her to stop though, and quickly matched her girlfriend's fervour. Weiss rolled onto her back, pulling Neo down on top of her and continued to explore the girl's mouth with her tongue. She felt along Neo's back, finding the zipper at the top of her jacket and slowly started to pull it down. Meanwhile, Neo was running her hands through the heiress' hair, feeling a rush of adrenaline coursing through her. Her thoughts blurred as she started to slip out of the top, but that in turn left her guard down.

She gasped suddenly and jumped back, tightly shutting her eyes and pulling her arms into her chest.

Weiss shot upright, "Neo? Did I do something? What's wrong?"

"Just... I need... Fuck! Beo!" she managed to say through heavy breaths before curling up and laying down on her side.

Weiss moved across the bed and pulled Neo into her lap, stroking the girl's head as she tried to keep herself from making the transition. The episode finally ended, and Neo blinked a few times as she got her bearings. Weiss helped her to sit up and handed her a bottle of water from the dresser.

"Are you okay?" the heiress asked, receiving nod from Neo as she chugged the bottle.

"Y-Yeah... That was... something..." she trailed off, turning to Weiss with a goofy smile.

"What's with that look?"

"Well, normally after switching, or when I come close to switching, I have a bunch of memories of what Beo was thinking at the time," Neo explained. "The things Beo had in mind were... interesting to say the least."

Weiss looked intrigued, "Go on."

Neo smiled and shook her head, "Let's see... There was a lot of rope, a gag, some leather, a whip... Yang's right, she's into some messed up stuff."

"I always get confused when you talk about it like she's another person, it's still you, right?"

"Oh, yeah. Like I said, it'd be like if you suddenly thought like Ruby. We're the same person, just two different personalities. So, I guess technically that means I'm into some really messed up stuff."

To Neo's surprise, the heiress grinned, "You never know, maybe one day..."

"I think that'd be a really bad a idea," she said with a very serious look on her face. "Remember the alley? Think of the difference between that and a normal fight, and then think of how that would apply to sex."

Weiss only shrugged, "Like I said, maybe one day. Could be fun."

"Wow, I never thought you'd be into that," Neo said with a mischievous smile.

"Well see," the heiress replied, wearing the same grin. "But for now, let's not get too crazy. Be gentle."

'_Wait... she actually wants to? Still? Holy shit, it's really happening! Alright, alright, you can do this, just remember Yang's advice._'

* * *

The two lay in each other's arms afterward, neither one wanting the moment to end. With a sigh, they eventually got up to clean themselves and put on their pajamas, since neither one had any intention of getting up again. Neo sent Yang a message on her scroll before jumping back into bed and snuggling up against Weiss. The rest of the team returned soon after as the two were just about to fall asleep.

Yang grinned, "Hey you two."

"Hi guys," Neo said, trying to act nonchalant. "What'd you have to tell Blake and Ruby in the hall?"

"Not much, just that you two wanted the room to yourselves so you could bang," the blonde replied innocently.

"WHAT?" the couple shouted in unison, their cheeks matching Ruby's cape.

Blake laughed, "Don't worry, it's fine. We're happy to give you some privacy once in a while, you need it."

Neo turned to Ruby, who nodded in agreement, and gave a sigh of relief, "Well... thanks. Sorry I didn't just say it outright."

"Don't worry about it," her leader said cheerfully. "Now then, unless anyone has any objections, I'm going to bed."

Neo and Weiss continued to cuddle as the rest of their team got ready for bed. They said their goodnights as everyone got tucked in, and Ruby turned out the lights before settling into her bed. Neo pulled Weiss in closer and gave her a peck on the lips. The heiress smiled and returned the kiss before nestling into her girlfriend's embrace.

'_Weiss, I love you more than you'll ever know,_' Neo thought as she started to drift off to sleep, suddenly becoming aware of just how exhausted the evening had left her. '_I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be than right here with you.' _She let sleep overtake her, feeling as though nothing could diminish how happy she felt in that moment. She didn't know it yet, but the coming days would test her to her limits. For now though, all that mattered to her was Weiss.


	9. Chapter 9: No Pressure

Chapter 9: No Pressure

Neo sat with her back against the wall outside of Ozpin's office. She'd arrived nearly thirty minutes earlier, but was told to wait, as the headmaster was in the middle of a very important conference. She considered leaving a few times as the wait drug on since it wasn't Ozpin she was actually looking for. Her intention was to find General Ironwood, but seeing as she has no idea where he stayed when he visited, or if he were even still at the school right now, here seemed like a good place to start asking.

_'I don't know why I'm even bothering,'_ she thought, feeling on the verge of falling asleep. '_Even if I find him there's nothing I can say that'll change his mind about letting me into the tournament. Why do I care in the first place? Sure, it's a pretty big event, but it's not like I'm not about to win, or even take a medal. I'll be lucky to make it past the first round judging by what I've seen of the competition from the other schools. No, I have to at least try. I can tell how much Weiss and the rest of the team want me to compete, I can't give up so easily. If I'd done that before, I wouldn't be here.'_

She groaned and leant her head back against the wall, hoping that she'd be let in soon. It didn't help that she was still somewhat tired from last night, not that she minded, and soon that got the better of her. She tilted to the side and laid down on the floor, resting her head on her hands as a makeshift pillow, and nodded off. "Is there something I can help you with?" Professor Ozpin asked as he exited his office another ten minutes later, tapping her on the shoulder to rouse her.

"Wha...?" Neo asked groggilly, wiping a bit of drool off her chin. "Oh, good morning professor!"

He nodded, taking a drink from his mug, "Good morning to you. I take it you have something important to see me for, otherwise I can't imagine you having waited this long."

"Fairly important, I guess," she said as she returned to her feet. "I'm looking for General Ironwood."

As if on cue, the general walked through the office doors and stood beside Ozpin, "And why would you need to see me?"

Neo gulped nervously, not expecting their encounter to come so soon, "I uh... I wanted to ask you to please reconsider my entry in the tournament."

"I'm sorry, but my decision is final," he replied coldly.

"Please? I've been working so hard to stay ahead in my classes, I want to show what I'm capable of!"

Ozpin took the opportunity to interject and help her cause, "Come to think of it, your exam scores have been extraordinarily high for someone with no prior schooling."

"Thank you professor, it just takes a lot of time in the library," Neo smiled. "That and Weiss is a really good teacher."

"I believe it," Ozpin smiled back.

Ironwood, of course, didn't see any reason to smile, "Enough. This has nothing to do with grades. While I don't necessary believe you are a direct threat to the festival, your presence in the tournament could still result in chaos."

"I don't see how..." Neo trailed off before giving the general a quizzical look. "Wait, are you saying... you don't think I'm still with Cinder?"

"Correct, I don't," he replied with a slightly warmer tone than before. "While I know that Ozpin's watch on you ended weeks ago, mine continued until just last night. I've seen enough to believe that you are truly here for the reasons you say you are."

"Thank you sir. That means a lot from..." she began, but trailed off again. A question came to her mind that she already knew the answer to, but still had to ask. "Umm... Just out of curiosity, what made you stop your watch over me?"

"I think you know exactly why. To answer you next question, no, my informant did not stay to witness your... amorous activities. Anyway, returning to the original matter. I need you to understand that I don't want you to compete because I fear it will make you a target, even more than you likely already are. The safety of everyone is my highest concern, and I won't put you in danger if I believe I can avoid it."

Neo's face fell, and Ozpin decided to give it one more try, "James, let's be honest. If they already intend to harm her, then whether or not she participates is irrelevant. And if they don't, then her participation is highly unlikely to distract them from whatever it is they are already planning. What are you truly gaining by not letting her compete?"

"You would make the same decision were you in my position. I'd be risking too much, including both of our positions here."

"Then I have one final proposal: Should anything happen because of her participation, I will assume full responsibility for it. I have enough faith in her that I am willing to take that risk upon myself."

The room went quiet. Ironwood and Neo were both stunned by the headmaster's offer, and Neo spoke in almost a whisper, "You would do that for me?"

Ozpin nodded and turned back to his colleague, "It's your decision, James. I won't push any further should you still say no."

With a heavy sigh, the general shook his head, and looked at Neo with a faint grin, "Very well. But, I will hold you to your word, Ozpin. Neo, I'll see that you are entered in the tournament by the end of the day. Good luck."

Neo was speechless, but only for a brief moment before sprinting forward and wrapping Ironwood in a hug, "Thank you thank you thank you! I promise nothing will happen, and I haven't broken a promise yet!"

He smiled as she broke the embrace, "Let's just hope that streak holds." With that, he turned and walked down the stairs.

Neo looked up at Ozpin, almost unable to contain herself, "Thank you so much professor. I still can't believe you'd do that for me."

"I stand by all of my students," he said, and started back into his office. "Now then, I expect your teammates will be wanting to hear the good news. I'll see you Friday at the tournament."

Neo nodded and rushed off to inform the team. It was a brilliant day outside. Bright sun, light clouds, and a it was much much, much warmer than the night before. Neo felt as if the breeze were carrying her along as she ran, like nothing could ruin how happy she was. She arrived at their dorm panting slightly, but still full of energy. She burst through the doors with a massive smile. "Hey guys, guess what? Ironwood changed his-" she stopped when she saw Weiss sitting on her bed, sobbing uncontrollably, with Yang and Weiss on either side trying to calm her down. Ruby sat beside Yang, and gave Neo a sad look. "What's going on?"

Yang shook her head and handed Neo Weiss' scroll, "Just read this."

She took the device and read the message it had been opened to in her head, '_Weiss, I was informed by a client of mine, who attended the same restaurant as you yesterday evening, that you are in an apparent relationship with another girl at the academy. I am incredibly disappointed, and I want to speak with both of you immediately. I will be awaiting you call. Father._'

Neo's eyes widened, "No... You don't think he...?"

Weiss nodded, still crying, "I-I can't th-think of w-why else he'd want us to c-call." She suddenly jumped up from the bed and pulled Neo in a tight embrace. "I-I don't want to lose you..."

"Shh, shh, it'll be okay," Neo tried to say reassuringly, but her voice cracked from trying not to cry herself. Ruby quickly ran over to join in and add her support, and soon the whole team was wrapped in a group hug.

Blake was the first the step back, "Do you think you should call him?"

"It's not like we have much of a choice" the heiress replied, wiping her eyes. "He's my father, I can't just ignore him."

"We'd better not keep him waiting then," Neo said, taking Weiss by the hand. "Should we go to the library and make a call?" Weiss nodded weakly, and the two left the room, being sure to take their time as they walked. Neither girl spoke until they exited the dorms, because frankly neither one knew what to say.

Weiss broke the silence as they started on the path toward the library, "This can't be happening... It just can't..."

"I wish it weren't," Neo replied solemnly. "I mean, he can't really keep us from seeing each other, can he?"

"Honesty, he'd probably transfer me to another academy if that's what it would take."

Neo smiled faintly, "I don't know about you, but it'll take a lot more than that to keep me from seeing you."

"I know," Weiss replied, giving Neo a peck on the lips. "That's why I love you, and always will, no matter what he says."

They arrived after a short detour through the gardens to collect their thoughts and enjoy the weather. Normally the library was like a second home to Weiss, but now it carried a much more foreboding atmosphere. They asked the librarians at the front desk for a private room to make a call, and were directed to a section in the back right of the building with several such rooms. The couple sat slab in front of the monitor, already wanting to leave. Neo closed the door, and the two took a deep breath together as Weiss plugged in her scroll to make the call.

"Hello, Schnee World Headquarters, how may I help you?" a cheerful woman asked on the screen. "Oh, Miss Schnee! How may I be of assistance?"

"Can you patch me through to my father, please?" the heiress shakily replied.

"Of course, just one moment."

The picture turned to a hold screen, and the couple shared a nervous glance. Neo sighed, "Here we go."

The screen went to static for a moment before a white-haired man appeared, bearing a strong resemblance to Weiss. "Hello, Father," she greeted him.

"Good afternoon, Weiss," he replied flatly. "I believe you have some explaining to do."

She shook her head, "There's really not much to explain. This is Neo, she's my girlfriend. I love her. That's all there is to it."

Her father's expression remained blank, "I see. How long has this been going on for?"

"Just over three weeks," Weiss said, her voice sounding incredibly small. Neo could see another wave of tears forming behind her eyes, but didn't want to interrupt, fearing what could happen if she did.

"And why," he continued, "Did I come to hear of this the way I did, and not from you?"

Weiss couldn't hold it together any longer, "Because I knew you'd forbid me from seeing her if I did." She began to sob again, and Neo pulled her in close so she could cry into her shoulder. She patted the heiress' back and stroked her hair, trying her best to calm her down, while also trying not to break down as well.

"Weiss," her father sternly interrupted. The heiress snapped back to attention, a few stray tears rolling down her cheeks. "I want to speak to you now, Neo."

She gulped, "Y-Yes sir?"

"Tell me," he said, folding his hands on top of his desk. "What kind of family do you come from?"

"I..." Neo started, looking down at the floor. "I don't know anything about my family. Not my real family at least."

"I see. Which combat school did you attend before enrolling at Beacon?"

"I didn't..." she answered, sinking down into her chair. "It's a long story. I don't have a very clean past, but I'm working to make a better future for myself. Ozpin let me enroll so I would have the chance redeem myself."

His expression didn't waver, "Yes, I'm quite aware of your past. We have you on the company record here from your... previous affiliation. All of our warehouses and train cars are equipped with surveillance cameras. You've caused us a considerable amount trouble."

"Oh..." Neo said quietly. At that moment, she wanted a trapdoor to open beneath her chair, and she didn't care where it would take her. "I'm sorry sir, I swear I've changed." The room was silent for a few moments, neither girl knowing what to say.

Weiss' father sighed and turned back to his daughter, "Weiss, princess, this isn't easy for me to say, believe me, but I can't allow this relationship continue."

"No! You can't do that!" she shrieked. "I don't care if you don't like that I'm a lesbian! I am, and nothing will change that!"

Her father's expression was still the same as when the call started; very neutral, not showing any emotion. He looked at Weiss for a moment before turning to Neo, then back to Weiss. "That's not my concern here," he said calmly. Weiss cocked her head at the statement, unsure of what he meant. "I've had a lot of time to think about this after you came out to me. You're my daughter, and I'll always support you, no matter what."

The heiress' tears now turned to ones of joy, overwhelmed by her father's words, "R-Really? Thank you, you don't know how happy I am to hear you say that! But wait, why are you saying we can't be together then?"

Now his face fell somewhat, for the first time showing any emotion towards the conversation. He shook his head, "My objection comes from her past, specifically because of how much it involves our company. The two of you being together would seriously damage our credibility once word gets out of who she is. I'm sorry, but it's too much of a risk."

Weiss looked heartbroken, and rightly so, but Neo wasn't giving up so easily, "Sir, please at least give me a chance to show you who I am now. As much as I don't want it to, my past will always follow me, and there's nothing I can do to change that. But that's not who I am anymore. I'm not a criminal, I'm training to be a Huntress like everyone else here, because I want to right the wrongs I've done. I can't hide my past, but there has to be something I can do show how far I've come."

"I wish it were that simple," he replied. "The media is quick to use anything they can find against you, and you would need something very significant to overshadow your history. Short of national recognition for something truly outstanding, I don't see what could be done to redeem you in the public eye enough for this to continue."

Neo's eyes widened, "The tournament... Ironwood changed his mind earlier and said he'll enter me. It's the Vytal Festival Tournament, would earning a high standing be enough?"

"Wait, he changed his mind?" Weiss asked in disbelief before hugging Neo. "That's wonderful! I'm so happy for you!" She turned back to her father, looking very hopeful. "Would that be enough? It has to be, it just has to!"

"I suppose it could work..." her father said, getting lost in his thoughts. "That is the most prestigious combat tournament in all of Remnant. Placing in the tournament would surely give me the ability to defend you to the public, should your past come into question... Very well. Should you place in the tournament, the two of you will have my approval. Until then, I want you to keep your relationship quiet. Should you not place, I suppose we can look into other options, but I wouldn't have high hopes for that."

Neo wore a confident smile, "Then the tournament it is. Thank you sir, I promise I'll earn your approval."

"We won't let you down," Weiss added, finally able to smile again.

Her father smiled back, "I know you won't. Now then, I have business to return to, and I believe you should get to training. I wish the both of you good luck in the tournament. Goodbye."

He hung up the call, leaving Neo and Weiss smiling from ear to ear at each other. They were both at a loss for words, and so they came together for long, passionate kiss to convey their emotions instead. Neo's body felt numb. Having gone from the crippling fear of knowing she could lose Weiss to now knowing that she could actually earn the approval of the heiress' father, her mind was working overtime to process everything she was feeling. The embrace ended nearly a minute later, and Neo couldn't stop smiling.

She ran her hands through her hair, "I can't believe it... He's not making us break up. Not yet at least. Of everything he could've said, I never thought that would happen."

"Believe it, it really happened," Weiss replied, spinning in her chair out of sheer happiness. "Do you think you can do it? Place in the tournament I mean?" She looked at Neo hopefully, but was met with an uneasy stare. While she looked confident during the call, inside her head, Neo was just shy of panicking.

"I really don't know. I'm a pretty good fighter, but have you seen some of these kids? I don't stand a chance against more than half of them. How well do I have to do to place?"

Weiss' expression now matched her girlfriend's, "You have to take first, second or third place to receive a medal."

"Oh... Shit..." Neo said, feeling the same hopelessness now as when the two arrived to make the call. "I thought it was based on scores from matches like training class is. I didn't know I had to practically win the tournament! There's no way!"

"Don't say that! Come on, let's head to the practice fields and have a few sparring matches. We'll keep doing a few a day until the tournament starts a so we can have you in as best shape as possible."

Neo smiled, "Sounds like a plan. We should probably go back to the room first and tell everyone what happened, they'll be eager to know after the way we left." Weiss nodded and they got up to leave. Neo chuckled to herself as they walked out the door, and Weiss shot her a confused look. "It looks like Beo is finally gonna get her wish. The two of you will be spending a lot of quality time together over the next few days."

Weiss rolled her eyes, and the pair rushed back to their dorm to deliver the good and bad news to the rest of the team. They arrived to find their teammates sitting quietly on their beds, waiting to hear the expected result from the call. The smiles on Neo and Weiss' faces, however, instantly turned the mood in the room around, and now the three jumped down and ran over to the couple, eager to hear what'd happened. Weiss explained everything that was said, and what Neo had to do now for their relationship to continue.

"Wow..." was all they could say say as the heiress finished speaking.

Ruby looked at Neo with concern, "Do you really think you can win the tournament?"

"Not at all," Neo replied, shaking her head. "But, that doesn't mean I'm not gonna try."

"You'll be fine," Yang said casually, bringing up the tournament bracket on her scroll. "It looks like you'll have to win eight matches to get to the finals, which would guarantee you a medal. That's not too bad."

"No pressure," Blake added sarcastically.

Neo's eyes nearly popped out of her head at the statement, "Eight matches? Well... Weiss, it was fun while it lasted."

"Neo, be serious," the heiress scolded. "Come on, let's get out to the training grounds before it gets dark."

"Why don't we all come with you?" Blake offered as the couple moved to the door. "I'd be good for you to mix up who you're sparring with. Maybe we could see if Pyrrha can come too, she's easily the best fighter out of all of us."

Weiss nodded and the team departed, heading off toward JNPR's room. Nora answered the door and informed them that Jaune and Pyrrha were already out training, and to go to the practice fields to find them. Neo thanked her and the team now ran out to the fields to find them and get start Neo sparring as fast as possible. They reached the fields and were able to easily locate Jaune and Pyrrha, who happily agreed to help after hearing what happened.

The next couple of hours were very productive, with several sparring matches and group battles to expose Neo to some scenarios she hasn't faced before. Of course, it was Beo whom they were with during this time, and it was very strange for them to actually be conversing with her. The dramatic difference between the girl's personalities showed even more with the way Beo spoke and acted. At times, it truly scared the group, but they got past it eventually.

The session ended as the sun dipped behind the horizon, and Neo returned to control of herself, extremely exhausted from how physical the last few hours had been. The group went back to pick up Nora and Ren from the dorms, and then moved on to go eat in the dining hall. Neo's appetite closely resembled that of the day she arrived, which made Nora very happy. Another food bet was offered, but Neo declined, still wanting revenge after the last bet the two had had. After dinner, they all went back to team JNPR's room to play cards and wind down after the long day. Neo stayed for a while, seeming to have a knack for Remnant: The Game™, but around nine o'clock she decided to turn in a little early, wanting to have as much strength as possible for tomorrow, which would undoubtedly be even more strenuous than this afternoon had been. After showering and putting on pajamas, she flopped onto her bed with the intention of falling asleep as soon as possible.

"Hey Neo," an elegant voice greeted her from the doorway, and she turned with a smile to see Weiss, who walked over and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "How're you feeling?"

Neo yawned, stretching her arms as she did, "Tired."

"I can tell," Weiss laughed, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "I just wanted to tell you, I'm really proud of the way you've handled everything today. I know you could've easily given up at any point, and no one would blame you if you did, but you're not, and it means so much to me that you're willing to do this so that we can stay together."

"I haven't backed down so far, I'm not about to start now," Neo smiled. She pulled Weiss in for a hug, giving her a kiss on the lips once the embrace ended. "I love you."

"I love you too," the heiress said, blushing slightly. The two were quiet for a moment before Weiss stood up and grabbed her nightwear off the dresser. "I'm going to get changed and call it a night as well," she said, moving toward the bathroom.

Neo giggled, "You know, you don't have to go in the bathroom to change anymore. I've already seen you naked, it's not like you have to hide anything."

Weiss was a little reluctant, but decided Neo was right. She stripped off her normal clothes in exchange for her pajamas, and walked back over to Neo.

"Good night," she said sweetly, pecking her girlfriend on the lips.

"G'night!" Neo replied. Weiss turned to go to her own bed, but Neo grabbed her arm to stop her. "And just where do you think you're going?" she asked playfully.

The heiress smiled and happily climbed under the covers with Neo, snuggling up and letting the rhythm of her partner's breathing help her to sleep.

'_Why can't anything I have to do here be simple?_' Neo thought. 'I_ don't doubt I'll do well in the tournament, but winning? Even getting to the finals at all would be a miracle. I guess I've gotten this far though, let's just hope whatever I've been doing right keeps working for me._' With that, she smiled and settled in against Weiss, who by now was already asleep, and it didn't take Neo long to follow her. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to sleep for very long.

"Neo! Neo, wake up!" an urgent voice suddenly whispered, pulling her of her dreams. She opened her eyes and strained in the dark to see Yang, who looked extremely worried.

"Yang? What the hell?" Neo asked with a yawn. "Why are you-?"

"You need to come with me to Ozpin's office right," the blonde interrupted, her voice getting louder as she went on. "General Ironwood called the whole team in, he said he needs to talk to you right away."

At this point, Weiss had also awoken to hear the end of Yang's sentence, "Why would he need to see her?"

Yang shrugged, "I dunno, but I don't wanna keep him waiting. Come on!"

She grabbed Neo and Weiss by the wrist and yanked them from bed and out of the room. Weiss was very annoyed she wasn't able to change into more decent clothes, but she wasn't about to break out of the brawler's iron grip. Meanwhile, Neo was racking her brain as to why Ironwood would want to see her so urgently. She never reached an answer as the three ascended the stairs to the headmaster's office and came running through the doors. Inside, the rest of team RWBY, along with Ozpin, Glynda and Ironwood stood waiting for them.

"Good evening," Ozpin greeted, still holding his coffee mug. "Please, come join the rest of your team."

The girls did so, and Ironwood cleared his throat before addressing them, "Thank you for coming so quickly. I have a few questions I need to ask you, specifically targeted toward Neo. First, where did you go after leaving here this morning after our discussion?"

"I went right back to the room," Neo said, looking fearful. The general nodded for her to continue. "When I got back, I found out Weiss had gotten a message from her dad about our relationship, and we went to the library to call him."

"I see. Ozpin, can you verify the time of the call?" Ironwood asked.

"I already have," he replied with an exasperated sigh. "The call was placed not twenty minutes after I last saw her."

"Where did you go after that?" Glynda asked, sounding much more soothing than the general.

Neo was still confused as to why they wanted to know all of this, but didn't argue, "We all went out to the training fields for the afternoon. Jaune and Pyrrha joined us as well. After that we went to dinner with the rest of team JNPR, played cards for a while, then Weiss and I went to bed."

Ironwood looked suspicious, "What time did you two turn in?"

Neo shrugged, "I don't know exactly, around quarter after nine I think. What time is it now?"

"Just past midnight," Ozpin replied, turning back to his colleague. "Satisfied, James?"

"Not quite," was his response, narrowing his eyes at Neo. "I find it very suspicious that this would happen the day after my watch over her ended."

"What are you talking about?" Ruby asked innocently. "What happened?"

Glynda sighed, "It seems Roman escaped from prison, possibly with some outside help. And James here seems to think-"

"That it was me..." Neo completed, turning to the general with a hurt expression. "You think I did it?"

He sighed, "I can't rule out the possibility. And it seems we have nearly three hours where you're unaccounted for."

"Impossible," Weiss interjected, folding her arms and acting like her usual self. "She was in bed with me that entire time. If she had gotten up to leave, I would've been woken up as well."

"I'm afraid that's not good enough to prove whether or not she-" Ironwood said before Ozpin interrupted.

"Enough!" he yelled, slamming his cup down on his desk. It was incredibly rare to see the headmaster lose his temper, but Ironwood had succeeded in pushing him past his level of tolerance. "I've had enough of this, James. You have no reason at all to suspect she was involved in any way. Until you can produce any evidence that goes against what she's said, this matter is closed. I will not have you harassing my students like this without any justification for your actions, am I clear? You may have been appointed head of security, but I am still headmaster here, and the festival has yet to even begin. I've put up with this until now, but I've reached my limit. Team RWBY, you're dismissed. I need to speak to the general alone."

The girls wasted no time in leaving the room as fast as possible, shutting the doors behind them and exiting the building before Ironwood had the chance to object. They ran back to their dorm and stopped to catch their breath once their all were inside. "I've never seen Ozpin that angry before," Blake said quietly after they'd all had a moment to think about what had happened.

Yang crossed her arms, "Well yeah, I've never seen Ironwood be that much a prick before. What the fuck is his problem?"

"Like I said," Neo sighed, returning to her bed. "He won't trust me until I kill Cinder right in front of him."

She got back under the covers, and Weiss eagerly joined her. The heiress smiled, "Just ignore him, we've got bigger things to worry about right now. For instance, getting back to sleep so you'll be ready to get back to training tomorrow."

Neo smiled and gave her kiss, "You're right. Let's just hope we don't get woken up again."

The two fell asleep in each other's arms before the rest of the team had even finished changing into their nightwear. Neo smiled as she dreamt about what it would be like if she were to win the tournament, and what the future has in store for her and Weiss. In the back of her mind though, Roman's escape deeply worried her, especially being this close to the festival. Whatever they were planning had to be big, and knowing that she had a target painted on her back, most likely at least, didn't make her feel any better. For now, all she could do was wait and try to prepare for whatever lay ahead. Ready or not though, her greatest trails were only just beginning.

**Hello hello, hope you enjoyed the chapter! As always, leave a review if you've got something you'd like to share, and follow to get updates when they come out! The tournament is approaching fast, do you think Neo will win? What could Cinder be planning? How the fuck do magnets work? I'll see you all next time for the answers! Well, not necessarily next chapter, but soon.**


	10. Chapter 10: Upping the Intensity

**Hi guys. I hate to start off on such a sad note, but I don't know any other way to begin. I'll be brief though. For those of you who haven't been informed, Monty Oum passed away on February 1st after a severe allergic reaction, at the age 33. He was idol, my inspiration for getting into animation, game design, and much more, and his passing is incredibly difficult to process. I know that what he taught me about working hard, following your passion, and creativity will stay with me for her rest of my life. I'll miss you Monty, I owe you so much. **

**Now that I've gotten that off my chest, let's move on to the lighter portion of my opening notes. I saw I'm almost at 100 followers, it's awesome to see so many people enjoying the story. Please leave a review if you have feedback, or just something you'd like to share, and I'll keep making the story better and better.**

Chapter 10: Upping the Intensity

For most of the students at Beacon, the week leading up to the Vytal Festival meant a break from school work, late nights partying with friends, and sleeping in as late as their bodies would allow them. Unfortunately, team RWBY was not afforded that luxury. With Neo needing to perform so well in the upcoming tournament, and having only today and tomorrow before matches began, they needed as much time as they could get. It was about seven in the morning, the sun had only just risen, and four of the team's five members were still fast asleep. The fifth put a stop to that, the high-pitched squeal of her whistle cause the sleeping girls to sit bolt upright in an instant.

Ruby's wake up call was met by evil glares, but she still smiled as innocently as ever, "Good morning team RWBY!"

"I swear to God," Weiss growled, burying her head back under the covers. "If you blow that whistle one more time, I-"

"Calm down," Neo interrupted, putting her arm around the heiress' shoulders. "Like you said, we've got bigger things to worry about."

Weiss huffed, but didn't argue. The team went about their normal morning routine of showering and getting dressed while also planning out how to best spend the day. At first they planned on nearly six straight hours of combat training during the length of the afternoon, but Neo quickly put an end to that idea, saying she'd be too exhausted tomorrow to do anything at all. Eventually they decided on a schedule that everyone seemed to agree on, and moved to the next item on the list of things to do: Breakfast. The girls were elated as they exited the dorms to find the weather outside was just as nice as it was yesterday, since they would likely be on the practice fields until sunset.

The dining hall was just opening when they arrived, which meant no lines, the freshest piping-hot food at the buffet, and the best pick of tables to sit at. Normally team JNPR would've joined them by now, but its members were all still in bed, enjoying the ability to sleep in. If left on their own, they likely would've remained there until noon, however the smell of pancakes managed to drift out and find its way to Nora's nose, and there was no going back after that. About ten minutes after they'd staying eating, team RWBY was joined by a very energetic Nora, and a very tired rest of team JNPR.

"Good morning!" Nora sang as she took a seat. The stack of pancakes on her tray wobbled precariously when she set it down. "What're you guys doing up too early?"

"We've got a lot of training to do," Neo replied, giggling a little at the irritated faces of the rest of team JNPR. "I take it none of you wanted to be up this early?"

Jaune groaned, "What do you think?"

"Well, since you're up, you could all come join us out on the fields," Yang cheerfully suggested, and was met by three cold stares.

"ABSOLUTELY!" Nora shouted in excitement, the sugar from her breakfast already coursing through through her. Neo found it somewhat odd that Ruby's breakfast of almost all chocolate chip cookies wasn't having the same effect on the cape wearer, but figured it would catch up with her later in the day.

Nora merrily went along after they all finished eating, however the rest of her team headed back to the dorms to catch another hour or two of sleep. No one could blame them, although Nora pouted at their lack on enthusiasm. The six remaining girls went straight to the practice fields and got to work right away. Neo felt a little uncomfortable knowing that Beo would be in control for the majority of the day, but there wasn't much she could do about it.

Two hours went by, and in that time they managed to go through ten sparring matches with short breaks in between to keep everyone from tiring out too quickly. The rest of team JNPR made their way out shortly after, now fully rested, and matches continued for another hour and a half. Having Pyrrha there to spar with was extremely helpful, seeing as she was the most talented fighter in the group, at least in terms of tournament-style combat, and that was exactly the type of opponent Beo needed the most help against.

At the end of the morning, Beo had won nine of the thirteen matches they practiced. To her, that wasn't good enough, although seven of those wins had been back to back. She struggled the most against Pyrrha, with three of her four losses going to the redhead, which didn't help her confidence seeing as most of her opponents in the tournament would undoubtedly be the same way. The group decided to sit and rest for a few minutes before going to lunch, leaving them some time to talk with Beo. The long morning of extended combat meant that she would remain longer before reverting to Neo.

"So..." Pyrrha started, looking over at the multi-coloured girl. Even though they'd spent the whole morning in each other's company, it still felt strange to be talking to a completely separate part of Neo.

Beo smiled, "What's up, honey?"

"Honey?" Weiss asked, folding her arms.

"What? You only said I can't call you honey."

"Well yeah, but... I dunno, it's weird to hear you call someone else that. Plus, we weren't dating then."

"Okie dokie, honey," Beo replied with a mischievous grin. "Anyway, what's up Pyrrha?"

"Oh, um..." Pyrrha said, forgetting her initial question. "I don't remember what I was going to ask you."

Beo rolled her eyes, "If you say so. God, it's such a nice day out. We should really do more with it than just training." There were a few half nods of agreement, and it seemed as though she'd get her way, but as usual, Blake was the voice of reason.

"Perhaps, but if you're going to place in the tournament, you need all the time out here you can get," the Faunus said, getting the agreement of everyone.

"Blah, you're no funny, kitty," Beo groaned, laying back on the grass and resting her head on her hands. Yang snickered at the nickname Blake had been given, while the cat-girl only glared.

"Don't call me that," she said sternly, earning a muffled laugh from Beo. "I mean it."

"Alright, alright. I'm just having fun with ya."

The group continued to lay there for another few minutes before Beo made a faint gasp, and tightly closed her eyes. After a few seconds of stillness, they opened again. Neo laughed to herself as she finished the transition back, "Wow, she had some pretty good comebacks for you, Blake. Although I'd probably be dead if she'd said them."

"You'd better tell me what they were later," Yang said with a grin, and Neo nodded. "Alright, well now that you're back to normal, is everyone up for lunch?"

An enthusiastic yes came from all members of the group, and they packed up their gear before heading out. Instead of eating in the dining hall again, they decided on going into town. Of course, Weiss fought it as much as possible, saying she didn't want to waste any time, but everyone more or less ignored her argument. Beo had been right, the weather was too nice not to at least take a walk, plus the closeness of the festival meant that tons of street vendors had set up shop around the city.

Everyone split off in search of their favourite food stand, and reconvened after they'd found what they wanted. That is, everyone except for Weiss. She acted like her usual proper self, as if this kind of food was too far beneath her to eat. Ruby and Yang tried convincing her for nearly fifteen minutes to try a deep-fried hot dog, but with no success. Finally, after a little extra prodding from the rest of her friends, and especially Neo, she gave in and took a bite. Then another, and another. A half hour or so of chatting, laughing, and sampling more vendors went by, the group decided they'd had enough time off, and returned to Beacon to continue training.

As expected, they were stopped at the gate by Ironwood's men to have their ID's checked, although the process seemed far faster than it had been before. Thankfully, the random checks while walking around campus had all but stopped. Roman's escape had the general far more concerned in other areas, and needed his men stations elsewhere. The walk back to the fields wasn't too long, but lunch itself had taken much longer than anticipated, and it was now nearly one o'clock. If they wanted to get in as much practice as they'd hoped, they'd have to resume right away. Training didn't pick back up right away though, as much as Weiss would've liked it to, as everyone still needed time to digest before getting back into the swing of combat.

Another half hour passed and sparring matches resumed, but it was clear from the start that the rest of the day wouldn't be as productive as the start had been. Having the break to stop and eat gave their bodies time to realise how strenuous that morning's work had been, and it wasn't long before they decided to stop for the day and head back to the dorms. Weiss wasn't happy about ending so early, and tried her best to convince the group otherwise, but to no avail. Neo wanted them to continue as well, but knew that pushing herself more could leave her sore for the start of the tournament, and so they started the walk back.

A male voice called out to them not long after, just as they passed into the gardens, "Good afternoon team RWBY, team JNPR." Neo turned around in surprise to see General Ironwood walking quickly to catch up to them. "Had enough time on the fields for today?"

Weiss huffed, "Not if you ask me, but they seem to think so."

"Oh shut it, ice queen," Yang laughed. "So what brings you by, General?"

He turned his attention, as they knew he would, to Neo, "I'd like to speak with Miss Neopolitan for a moment. I assure you, it's nothing bad. Shall we?" He motioned his arm for the two of them to walk together.

'_Miss Neopolitan?_' Neo thought, a little confused. '_I've never heard him call me that before. I wonder what this could be about._'

"Uh, sure," she replied, looking back at her friends. "I'll catch up with you guys in a bit." They nodded, said goodbye, and resumed their walk back to their rooms while Neo followed alongside Ironwood as he began walking in the opposite direction. "So, what's up?"

He sighed, "I believe I may owe you an apology. I made a number of snap judgements about you, and I should've known better to trust Ozpin's instincts. He's right far more than I am, but you can never tell him I said that." The general looked around at the various blooming plants along the path for a moment before continuing. "We recovered security footage of Roman's escape, and it would seem Cinder was the one who freed him."

That struck Neo as odd, and she looked up with a confused expression, "Wait, Cinder did it? You're sure it wasn't Emerald?"

"I'm positive it was Cinder," Ironwood replied, giving Neo a quizzical look. "Why?"

"That's really strange. She never does her own dirty work if she can help, especially when it's such high stakes. She always tries to keep her own hands clean when she can."

"Interesting. Can you think of why she would be so keen to do this on her own then?"

Neo stopped and thought for a moment, "Well... I can think of three things. First, something happened to Emerald and Mercury, but I doubt that. Second, she might figure that since I've already revealed who she is to you, she doesn't need to be as concerned with exposing herself. And third, Roman has some part yet to play that's so vital, she wouldn't want to risk anything going wrong with getting him out." The general was silent, motioning for her to continue. "My guess is the second or third, but I can't see Roman having any more of a role to play. We'd already stockpiled enough dust and weapons before I came here to move on to whatever she had in mind next. It seemed like he was only still along to take the fall or help with transporting everything from the warehouse. I suppose he-"

"Hold on a minute," Ironwood swiftly interrupted. "What warehouse?"

"The warehouse that we stored everything in," Neo said, sounding almost unsure of her own words.

'_Oh fuck, did I not tell him about that? Shit, this is not going to go over well..._'

The general's expression turned suspicious, "May I ask why you've waited until now to mention this?"

"I-I thought it told you about it weeks ago," she said, her voice getting higher as she felt a twinge of panic growing in her head. While an honest mistake, she knew it could have serious consequences, and was very afraid of what they would be. "Oh God, please don't be mad. I swear I didn't mean it, it just must've slipped my mind."

Ironwood put a hand on her shoulder as she began to hyperventilate, "Neo, calm down, I'm not angry. But please, come with me to Ozpin's office. I need you to identify the location of this warehouse." She nodded without hesitation and they hurried off. They arrived shortly after, informing Ozpin as to why they had come, and he brought up a map for Neo to mark the location on. She wasted no time in finding the warehouse, zooming in on the map until she could identify the street it was on and the buildings surrounding it. Ironwood seemed sceptical, "You're sure that it's this building?"

"Of course," Neo replied, not sure why he would question her. "I've been there plenty of times. Why?"

"I'm confused as to why it's in such an open, busy area. There are dozens of other buildings and stores around it, why have your operation based there?"

"Hiding in plain sight. Nobody questions crates being delivered a warehouse, no matter where they're from out how many there are."

"I see," was Ironwood's reply. He turned to Ozpin, who hadn't spoken since bringing up the map. "How do you suggest we proceed?"

Ozpin looked surprised, "You're asking my opinion on how to engage them?" The general nodded, and Ozpin thought for a moment. "Assuming they're still based there, as that easily could have changed in the last month, then I see no reason not to move in. They certainly won't be expecting an assault now, and it will undoubtedly be a setback for whatever they have planned for the festival."

"I agree," Ironwood replied. "I'll send troops there immediately. Neo, what kind of resistance can we expect?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. It was only a handful a guards last I was there, but I remember something about a huge recruitment that was supposed to take place the week after I left, but I don't know how that went."

The general nodded, "I'll make the assumption it brought on plenty of new recruits, and send a large detachment. Hopefully we can end this here."

He turned to leave, but Ozpin stopped him, "One moment, James. Neo, can you think of anything else that the two of us should be informed of? I know that things like this warehouse or that recruitment event may seem insignificant inn your mind, but we need to know anything and everything you can tell us. Is there anything more you can remember that could be important?"

She shook her head, "No sir. I'll keep thinking though, if I remember anything else I'll come straight to you."

"Very well," Ozpin replied. "You're dismissed then. In case I don't see you between now and the tournament, I wish you good luck."

"Thank you sir," she smiled before turning to leave.

"Actually, that reminds me of something," Ironwood said, turning Neo's attention over to him. "I made a call to Schnee Headquarters to find out the nature of your call from the other day, strictly as part of the investigation, and spoke to Miss Schnee's father. I wish you good luck in the tournament as well, I hope that everything works out for you."

Neo continued to smile, "Thank you, General."

With that, they both left, each taking a different flight of the double stairs to get to the ground floor. Neo set off back in the direction of the dorms, ready to take it easy for the rest of the day. She arrived and was greeted by her teammates, who were eager to know why Ironwood wanted to speak to her, and why it took so long. She explained what had happened, and everyone was relieved to hear that nothing bad had happened.

It was fairly late in the afternoon now, not leaving too much time to get invested in something before they'd go off to have dinner. They ended up assuming their usual roles: Blake reading her book, Yang and Ruby playing games on their scrolls, Weiss and Neo cuddling in bed. It wasn't long before Jaune dropped by to pick them up so both teams could eat together as they usually did. Dinner was fairly uneventful, until a nervous looking Sun was pushed over to the table the group was sitting at by the rest of his team.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Blake greeted them, laughing at Sun's resistance to coming over.

Neptune lightly elbowed him in the rib, "Come on man, go for it."

Yang, Nora, Ruby and Pyrrha all squealed as they saw the look Sun's teammates were giving him, and knew exactly why they'd come over, and why he was acting so strange. Sun was quiet for a few seconds before Scarlett pushed him closer to Blake. The Faunus girl raised an eyebrow as he laughed nervously, putting a hand behind his head.

"So uh," he started, looking back at his teammates for reassurance before continuing. "Are you... busy tonight?"

Blake smiled, "Not at all, why?"

"Well, I uh... was wondering if you'd wanna go out somewhere with me? Ya know, like a date." Both team RWBY and JNPR gasped in delight, looking at Blake to get her answer.

She stood up and gave Sun a kiss on the cheek, "I would love to. Come pick me up around seven?"

He blushed, not having expected her to agree do easily, or at all for that matter, "Sounds great. I'll see you then."

He gave an awkward wave goodbye as team SSSN departed, and Blake sat back down and turned back to the rest of the group, who were smiling from ear to ear.

Yang giggled, "Well that took a month and a half too long."

"Oh shut it, Blondie," Blake replied, getting lost in her thoughts about Sun. "Besides, you're just jealous."

Yang smirked, "Oh really? Do go on."

"You're the only one of us that's single now."

Ruby pouted, "Hey, what about me? I'm still single."

"Yeah, but you don't count, you're fifteen," her sister replied. "And no, Blake, I'm not jealous. I was just teasing you."

Blake innocently shrugged, "If you say so."

They went back to eat eating, with Blake continuing to be distracted. Neo was surprised to see her act this way. Blake didn't do much in the way of disguising how she felt about Sun, but this sort of bubbliness was very uncharacteristic of her. What was even more surprising though, was how Yang was acting. She seemed distracted as well, but looked sad, like something was troubling her, and Neo knew what that thing was.

'_Wow, I guess Blake must've gotten to her_,' Neo thought, giving her blonde teammate a sympathetic look. '_I wonder why that would bother her so much, she always seems happy just going out and hooking up. Could be that she really does want a boyfriend. Or girlfriend, can't make that assumption. If she does, I can only imagine how seeing all of us with someone would feel. Maybe I could try to set her up with someone._'

The rest of the meal went by without much else happening, and afterwards both teams returned to their dorms. Ruby ended up following JNPR back to their room to take Jaune's place for a game of Remnant, since he wasn't feeling awake enough to continue the team's game from earlier. Meanwhile, the rest of team RWBY went back to their own dorm. Sun arrived exactly at seven to pick up Blake, who had been anxiously pacing up until he knocked on the door. Neo looked over at Yang after the Blake and Sun had left, and couldn't help noticing how upset she looked.

"Hey Yang, you alright?" she asked, making her concern obvious. The blonde perked up immediately, trying to hide how she was feeling.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" she cheerfully replied. Neo narrowed her eyes, making it clear to Yang she knew what was bothering her. "Really, I'm fine. It's nothing, trust me."

Neo shook her head, "If you're sure. Promise you'll tell us if something really wrong?"

"Promise," Yang said, hopping off her bed and grabbing her purse from the dresser. "Aight, I'm going out got the night. Catch you guys later!" She dashed out the door before anyone could protest, leaving Neo and Weiss by themselves. Weiss sat on her bed, going over the tournament bracket on her scroll, while Neo changed into her pajamas.

Weiss sighed, "You know that spending this whole afternoon goofing off means that tomorrow will be all training, right?"

"Not likely," Neo replied, taking a seat next to the heiress. "If I tire myself out tomorrow, then I'll be screwed on the first day of matches. We'll definitely do some training, but let's not overdo it."

Weiss huffed, folding her arms, "Fine, but I get to determine our schedule for the day."

"Sounds fine to me," Neo smiled, giving Weiss a peck on the cheek. "So what do you wanna do? Looks like we've got the room to ourselves for a while."

Weiss rolled her eyes and pulled Neo back in, connecting their lips again and playfully nipping at Neo's bottom lip. She cupped Neo's face with one hand, and placed the other on the girl's thigh as she pulled away, "Take a wild guess."

Neo grinned and dove on top of her girlfriend, pushing her down onto the bed. She didn't know it, but Weiss had enjoyed their first intimate night together more than she let on. Having always dreamt of what her first time would be like, and not having been in any previous relationships, her first time being with someone she loved as much as Neo made it all the more magical to her.

She was glad to have had her first experience be gentle and romantic, but more she wanted to trying things Neo's way. Or even more precisely, Beo's way. She didn't want to go as far as to include the rope and other things Neo had mentioned, rather, she wanted the same rougher treatment she had given to Neo. She wanted to go hot and heavy, and made her intentions clear as she kissed hungrily along Neo's neck, sending shivers of pleasure down the girl's spine.

"Wait, hold on," Neo said suddenly, pulling away from Weiss. "We probably shouldn't get too wild, I don't want Beo trying to take over again. I don't think I'd had the energy after fighting it to keep going."

Weiss grinned, blushing slightly, "Actually, I wouldn't mind her paying a visit..."

Neo's eyes widened, "Are you being serious? Do you not remember what I said she's into?"

"I remember," the heiress replied, pulling Neo back to her. "It's just, I've always been treated like a princess. People have always acted like I'd break if they touched me, and I don't want that here. Granted, I don't want all the crazy whips and things Beo's into, but I want to try things her way, at least once."

'_She can't be serious,_' Neo thought, staring into Weiss' hopeful eyes. '_I mean... Beo didn't do anything too bad while we were training today, I guess it couldn't to... No, this is crazy, Weiss would get hurt, I just know it. I know she's tougher than she looks, but not in this area. I could go rougher on her myself, but... No, Beo would take over for sure... I guess it'll happen eventually, and if Weiss really wants it to be now, I suppose there's no reason to fight it._'

Neo still looked very unsure, but couldn't fight the sad eyes her girlfriend was giving her, "Alright, fine. But don't say I didn't warn you."

Weiss' face lit up, and she brought Neo in for a kiss that started passionately, and turned to an embrace of pure lust. Neo still was a little apprehensive letting Beo take control here, but it was a little too late at this point to take back her decision. It felt very strange to let the transition happen without fighting it, at least outside of combat. Apart from in a fight, it was very rare that she would willingly let Beo through. The transition was quick, with Weiss not even realising it had happened until Beo pulled away and gave the heiress a wicked grin that only she wore.

"Hey there, honey," Beo greeted her. "Ready for me to rock your world?"

Weiss took a deep breath and nodded, "Yes. But, no accessories, or anything weird. Just you and me."

Beo's smile only widened, "You've got it, babe."

* * *

"What's wrong?" Weiss asked as they settled under the covers, noticing that Beo had her eyes tightly shut after finishing.

"Huh... I didn't expect to switch back just then," Neo said with a smile, crawling up so that her face was level with Weiss'. "Beo takes over at the start of a fight, and I guess I take back over at the end of a climax. That was absolutely incredible."

The heiress smiled back, giving Neo a soft kiss on the lips, "That was far more than incredible." She pulled Neo back in, running her hands along the girl's body. Neo did the same, bringing her hands up to cup Weiss' face, but they were quickly slapped away. "No no no, you will wash that hand before it gets anywhere near my face!"

Neo giggled, "Fine, fine." She went into the bathroom and washed up, giving extra attention to her left hand, and returned to see Weiss staring off at the wall, a smile on her face that seemed more appropriate to be worn by Ruby. "What's that look for?"

"Oh nothing," she replied, snapping back to reality and beckoning Neo over. "I'm just thinking about how lucky I am to have you."

"Let's hope you still do at the end of the festival."

"Don't say that!" Weiss snapped as Neo climbed back under the covers. "Don't doubt yourself so much, you can do this."

Neo smiled, "Thanks, I'm glad you have so much confidence in me. I love you."

"I love you too, and I always will."

The couple lay there together, not even caring that they were still naked. Neo let out a content sigh as she wrapped herself in Weiss' arms, pulling the heiress in closer to feel the warmth of her skin against her own. Beyond exhausted, she was asleep within seconds, her body needing as much time as it could to prepare for the tomorrow, which she knew would be even more strenuous than today was. The tournament loomed closer in her mind, and she still didn't know whether or not she would be able to perform as well as she needed to, even with the extra help she was receiving. All of that seemed insignificant right now though, because for her, just being with Weiss was enough to take all of her fears away.


	11. Chapter 11: Pushing your Limits

Chapter 11: Pushing your Limits

A single ray of sunlight crept through the shades of team RWBY's dorm, moving across the room as the sun slowly rose ing the sky, and eventually landed directly across the eyes of a sleeping Neo. She stirred, shifting her position so she could return to sleep without further interruption. In the back of her mind, something struck her as odd, but she wasn't nearly awake enough to figure out what that was right now. Letting out a content sigh, she settled in against Weiss as she resumed her slumber.

She woke again about an hour later, yawning and stretching her arms as she sat up and glanced around the room. The rest of the team was still asleep in bed, including Yang, and Neo was relieved to see the blonde had made it back safely.

_'I suppose I should lay back down,_' she thought as she yawned again. '_I should get as much sleep as I can before Ruby's alarm..._' She stopped, realising what had seemed strange when she was woken up earlier. She glanced over at the clock and lay back down with an irritated sigh.'_Nine forty-seven. Ruby never set the alarm... Meh, if I don't have to get up yet, I'm not going to._' She put her arm back around Weiss, letting herself drift back to sleep for a second time.

A light poking on her shoulder roused her some time later, "Neo... Neo, wake up."

She blinked twice before her eyes were able to focus on her waker, Ruby. The redhead looked both concerned and afraid, and Neo sat up to address her, "Ruby? What's up?"

"Uh, well... I think I forgot to set the alarm, it's almost eleven. Weiss is gonna be furious..." Ruby whispered, looked over Neo's shoulder at the still sleeping heiress.

Neo only shrugged, "It happens, no big deal. Just wake everyone now, I'll make sure Weiss doesn't get too upset." Ruby nodded and immediately snatched her whistle from the bedside table. Neo plugged her ears with her fingers, happy to have the chance to brace herself before the shrill blast of sound. Ruby blew the whistle, bringing everyone else to attention. Neo cringed, her attempt to dampen the noise failing entirely. Weiss went to yell, but stopped when she noticed the time on the clock.

"Ruby Rose..." she growled, jumping out of bed and standing face to face with her leader. "Not only are you still using that whistle after I've asked you repeatedly to stop-"

"Um... Weiss?" Ruby sheepishly interrupted, her face turning a light shade of pink.

"Don't interrupt me! Not only that, but you forgot to the set alarm? How could you be so careless! I told you that we're on a tight schedule today, and we need as much time as we can get! You-"

Weiss was interrupted again, this time by Blake. The colour of her face matched Ruby's, and she spoke just as hesitantly, "Hey, Weiss... I think you should-"

"Not now, Blake, I'm not finished! I-"

"Weiss!" Neo half yelled and half giggled, turning her girlfriend's attention over to her.

"WHAT?"

Neo laughed and shook her head, "You're still naked." Weiss froze, all the colour draining from her face as she slowly looked down at her body. Sure enough, she was still nude from last night, her clothes in a heap at the foot of her bed. The room went quiet, all eyes on Weiss, although everyone but Neo was doing their best not to look anywhere but her face.

"Oh..." the heiress said quietly before snatching her clothes and dashing into the bathroom. The rest of the girls laughed, and Neo stealthily slipped her pajamas back on under the covers to save herald the same embarrassment. Weiss emerged a minute later, her face now a deep shade of red, "Alright... I hope you all enjoyed sleeping in, because that means we need to work even harder."

Yang groaned, "Can I just have the day off please?" She pulled the blankets back over herself and covered her head with her pillow.

Blake rolled her eyes, "What's the matter? Party a little too hard last night?"

Normally, Yang would've just grunted and stayed buried in her bed, but instead she poked her head out and gave her partner an evil grin, "Maybe, but I still got in before you this morning. Care to tell us more about that?"

Now everyone turned to Blake, whose eyes has shot open at Yang's comments. She put her arms behind her back, now blushing as much as Weiss. She looked down at her feet and spoke quietly, "I uh... Well..."

"Ooooo," Ruby teased, giggling a little as Blake shot her an angry look. "I take it your date with Sun went well then?"

"You could say that," Blake calmly replied, her face starting to return to its normal colour. "I didn't see why you're making a big deal out it though. Neo and Weiss obviously slept together last night, and I assume Yang hooked up too."

"True," Neo said, finally getting out of bed to stretch. "But none of that is new apart from you and Sun. So how'd the date actually go? You don't have to get too descriptive though, for Ruby's sake." The redhead pouted, earning a laugh from her sister.

"Well, we started out by going into town to see a play. I don't know how, but he knew it was one of my favourites: "The Grimm in my Mind." Afterwards we went for a walk out in the gardens, and eventually ended up back in his team's dorm. We had the room to ourselves, at least for a while since the rest of team SSSN was out at some party. One thing led to another, and I spent the night."

Yang smugly crossed her arms, "Wow, I didn't think you were the type of girl who'd put out on the first date."

"Oh shut it, Blondie. Besides, compared to you I'm about as innocent as Ruby," Blake shot back, leaving Ruby continuing to pout.

Weiss rolled her eyes, "Whatever, can we please focus now? The tournament starts tomorrow, and Neo is nowhere near ready!" Neo huffed, but couldn't deny that Weiss was right. She needed all the practice she could get in today without going overboard. The team agreed it was time to get going, and so they packed up their gear, as well as a few peanut butter and jelly sandwiches after Weiss declared they'd slept through lunch time, and headed out.

The afternoon went by as a blur to for Neo, or rather for Beo. Instead of simply sparring with everyone, Weiss had devised a series of exercises and matches to hone Beo's skills against the types of opponents she'd face. She mainly spared with Pyrrha, Weiss, and Blake today, as they reflected the fighting styles that Weiss felt she needed the most practice against, while the rest of her friends aided with the specific exercises Weiss had planned. They also took longer breaks between matches, since all of them needed to save their strength for tomorrow.

A few hours went by, and Beo's record stood as two wins and one loss against Blake, two wins and two losses with Weiss, and one win and four losses with Pyrrha. Beo was infuriated she couldn't get the upper hand against the goddess-like redhead, and refused to accept that she was simply outmatched, that the girl's level of skill was just beyond what she could hope to defeat.

Blake looked at the time on her scroll and turned to the group, who were using their current break to relax in the shade. "I think we should head in soon," she said, directing her comment mostly at Weiss. "If we have any more matches, I don't think we'll be able to be rested enough for tomorrow. There's no need to wear ourselves out."

"I think you're right," Weiss agreed, although she wasn't happy to admit it. She was getting more and more worried about Beo's performance now that they were less than a day away from the tournament. "Come on, let's head back to the room. I need a shower with how humid it is out here."

Everyone got to their feet, but Beo wanted one last match before they went inside. She grabbed Pyrrha's shoulder to stop her from walking, "Actually, do you think we have time for one more match? I think I've got you figured out."

Weiss shook her head, "I don't think that's a good idea. You've pushed yourself far enough already, there's no to need to-"

"Actually, I wouldn't mind," Pyrrha interrupted, spinning around to face Beo. "We can have one more match."

Beo smiled, "Prefect!" She ran across the field to really her place as Pyrrha did the same, bowing to each other as Weiss hesitantly called the start of the match.

Beo had been replaying her past few matches with Pyrrha over in her head, looking for something she could use against the girl. She had been lying alt figuring her out, and now had to think fast. As she expected, there was no flaw she could find in Pyrrha's fighting style. The girl had gotten where she was because of tremendous skill, practice, and discipline, and her form reflected that. Still, that didn't seem to phase Beo. Everyone has a weakness, and she intended to find Pyrrha's.

Pyrrha made the first advance, charging with her shield raised, and her spear following at her side. She made a series of slashes at Beo, who easily dodged and moved in closer to plant her own blows. Pyrrha had no trouble swinging her shield and spear simultaneously to block Beo's umbrella and punches, and now took on a move defensive stance while Beo continued her assault. Beo leapt into the air, doing a front flip as she barreled down at Pyrrha, who shifted her feet and raised her shield. And that was the last thing Neo could remember of that afternoon.

Neo was suddenly blinded by a bright light as she tried to open her eyes. The intensity started to fade as they adjusted, and she found herself in a hospital room, laying in bed. '_...the fuck? How'd I get here? Why am I here in the first place?_' she thought as she looked around. '_I was fighting Pyrrha... Then what?_' She attempted to sit up, but an intense pain on her right side had her laying down again in an instant.

"Easy, easy!" Weiss said from the bedside, startling Neo. "Just stay still, I'll get the doctor and let him know you're awake." Weiss got up from her chair and hastily moved to the door, but Neo called out to her before she was able to leave.

"Hey, wait! What the hell happened? And why does my side hurt so much?"

Weiss sighed, "You're aura went into the red during the last match with Pyrrha, but you wouldn't stop fighting." The heiress moved back to Neo's bed, taking her hand and interlacing their fingers before continuing. "You took a hard hit in the ribs from Pyrrha's shield while you were in the air, and your aura couldn't absorb it. You hit the ground on the same side when you landed."

"Shit... How bad is it?" Neo asked hesitantly, getting the feeling that she wouldn't be receiving good news.

Weiss shook her head, "Four bruised ribs, but thankfully none broken. Even with your aura helping it heal though, the doctor said it'll be at least a week before you should fight again."

Neo went completely silent, stunned by the news. She looked down at the bandages on her side, wincing slightly as she turned her body. After a moment she turned back to Weiss with a tear rolling down her cheek, "But the tournament... Does this mean...?"

Weiss closed her eyes, a pained expression coming over her, and nodded, "I think so..." They were both quiet again, apart from Neo's sniffling as she tried her best to cry. "I'll be right back, the doctor wanted me to let him know him when you woke up."

"How long have I been out?"

"Almost an hour," Weiss said before finally slipping out of the room, leaving Neo by herself.

'_I can't believe it... After all that, this is what happens? God damn it, why did I have to keep going? There has to be some way I can be ready to compete tomorrow, there just has to!_' Weiss reappeared moments later with the doctor, a brown-hair man who was about as tall as Yang. He walked over to Neo and helped her to slowly sit up, being very careful of her injury.

"Can you try to raise your arms for me?" he asked, raising his own arms to demonstrate. Neo complied, wincing as she neared the same height his arms were at. "That's good, you can let them rest. Take a deep breath for me, as deep as you can without it hurting."

Again, Neo complied, having no trouble filling her lungs as far as they allowed her, then slowly exhaled. "Are you sure it'll be a week until I should fight again?" she asked, fearing his answer. "My aura's really strong, at least when it comes to healing. I'm sure it won't be that long."

The doctor moved back to her side and helped her to her feet before answering, "You don't seem to have damaged your ribs too badly, but you should still hold off on anything too physical for a while to insure you don't worsen the them. Another hard blow would most likely still fracture them. Can you try to walk from here to the door? I'll be behind you if need support."

Neo took a few cautious steps before walking normally, the injury not seeming to affect her apart from when she tried to use her upper torso. She turned around after reaching the door to address that doctor, "But the tournament in tomorrow! I have to compete!"

He shook his head, "I'm sorry, but I would strongly advise against it. Even if your aura is incredibly strong like you say, you won't be ready to fight in again that quickly. The damage you could do to yourself isn't worth it."

"Yes it is!" Neo blurted out, looking over at Weiss with teary eyes. She quickly explained why she needed to place so badly, her sentences merging together as she spoke on that brink of hysteria, but the doctor remained adamant. With a sigh, she sat back down on the bed. "Are you going to stop me?"

"Beg your pardon?" the doctor asked, confused at the question.

"Are you going to stop me?" Neo repeated with a bit of a bite in her tone. "Unless you can stop me, I'm still going out there tomorrow."

"He might not," Weiss interjected, moving into Neo's field of view. "But I will, and the rest of your team certainly will too. I won't let you hurt yourself even more, it's not worth it. We'll find another way, I promise."

"LIKE WHAT?" Neo exclaimed, throwing her arms up and immediately recoiling in pain. Weiss rushed to her side and put an arm around her for support. "Weiss, we both know that there's not going to be another opportunity like this. At least, not for a really long time. If I can, I'm fighting tomorrow, and you won't stop me."

Neo's voice was calm and level, but also firm and absolute, and she looked directly into Weiss' eyes as she finished her sentence. Weiss didn't know what to say. On one hand, she didn't want to see Neo get injured any worse than she already was. On the other, she knew Neo was right, the tournament seemed to be their only hope of being able to continue. She also knew that she, and the rest of her team for that matter, wouldn't be able to stop Neo from fighting if she were truly so determined. Weiss shook her head once she made up her mind, knowing that Neo wouldn't be happy with her decision, or with what she had to do.

She sighed, "Then I don't think you leave me any choice." She walked out of the room with the doctor trailing behind her, leaving Neo sitting confused on the bed.

'_What did she mean by that?_' she wondered as she heard a faint conversation from outside. She couldn't make out who was speaking though, apart from Weiss. The other voice was a man, but not the doctor, at least not the one who had just left. It was a deeper, more commanding voice, and Neo's heart sank as she put a face to it. Moments later, Weiss came back into the room, followed by General Ironwood.

"Good afternoon, Neo," he greeted. Neo responded by burying her face in her hands, fully aware of Weiss intended to have done. "I've been informed of your injury, and have been asked to withdraw you from the competition."

"You can't do that!" Neo cried. "I-"

"Enough," he flatly interrupted, and Neo couldn't hold her tears back any more. Again, Weiss came to her side for comfort and support. Ironwood continued, "There's no need to be upset, I have no intention of withdrawing you."

Both girls instantly turned their heads to the general, speaking in unison, "What? Why?" Neo was more stunned than Weiss, surprised not only by the fact that he wasn't listening to Weiss, but more so by the fact that he was taking her side.

He chuckled, "Because it is not my place to. Should you recover enough in time for your match, then you should still be able to compete. However, please don't push yourself beyond what you can safely do. I don't want you see you get seriously hurt."

Neo smiled, wiping her eyes while Weiss sat with her mouth hanging open at Ironwood's decision, "Thank you, sir. I won't get hurt, I promise."

"Good. Now then, I have other matters that I must attend to. Oh, before I go, I should inform you that the raid on the warehouse went perfectly. We recovered incredible amounts of Dust and weapons, as well as capturing a young man who seemed to be leading the White Fang members guarding it. Adam Taurus, I believe his name is. Unfortunately, Cinder and Roman managed to escape, and there was no sign of Emerald or Mercury. I suspect we'll hear from them again soon, but for now, we appear to have the upper hand. Anyway, I wish you both good luck tomorrow."

With that, he left the room, leaving the couple in an awkward silence that lasted about a minute before Weiss finally spoke up. "Adam? Didn't Blake talk about someone named Adam? You don't think...?"

Neo shrugged, "I don't know, maybe we should go ask. If it is, she'll probably want to know. Am I cleared to leave?"

Neo got to her feet with a little help from Weiss, who nodded in acknowledgement of the question, "Yes, the doctor said you're alright to leave. Come on, let's get back to the room."

They checked out of the hospital and started off toward the dorms, all the while Weiss keeping close at Neo's side in case she needed help. Thankfully, the injury didn't affect her ability to walk in any way, and so the journey back was as pleasant one, apart from the slight tension surrounding whether or not Neo would compete tomorrow. It was almost five o'clock when they arrived back at their room. They found the rest of team RWBY, along with team JNPR, waiting there to greet them. Pyrrha was especially glad to see she hadn't done any permanent damage.

Weiss explained what the doctor and Ironwood had said about Neo competing, and finally ended with the result from the attack on the warehouse. Blake was shocked to hear Adam was involved, but secretly she had known it was bound to happen sooner or later.

Weiss sighed, "So, what do you guys think? Neo can't really compete tomorrow, can she?" She was met with a mixture of blank and uneasy stares, no one really knowing what to say.

"I guess we should wait and see how she feels tomorrow," Jaune ventured.

Pyrrha nodded in agreement, "I think that would be best as well. Neo, how're you feeling now?"

"Alright, I guess. My aura is pretty strong, I think I'll be ready," Neo replied, stretching her arms above her head to show how fast she was healing, not visibly showing any pain. It did still hurt a little doing so, but she made sure to keep herself from showing it. "I'll still probably be sore for a while, but I think I'll be able to fight tomorrow. And if not-"

"Then you won't," Weiss sternly interrupted. "You made a promise to Ironwood, and I know you don't want to break it."

Neo sighed, "I know... But you have to promise me that if I say I'm ready to fight, that you won't argue."

Weiss was hesitant, but ultimately gave in. She couldn't resist the sad puppy eyes that Neo wore so well. "Fine. If you say you're ready, I'll believe you."

"Thank you," Neo said with a smile, giving Weiss a quick kiss before turning to address everyone else. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving. Wanna go get dinner?"

The rest of the evening went by without much excitement, apart from a few food related shenanigans over dinner. Both teams turned in early to be as well rested as possible for the start of matches tomorrow, although Neo found it very difficult to sleep with the anxiety surrounding whether or not she would be able to fight. Luckily for her, snuggling up with Weiss did its usual trick of helping her to forget everything that worried her, and allowed her to get a good night's sleep.

The next morning came arrived at eight o'clock to the sound of Ruby's alarm, which she had triple checked last night to make sure it was set. Neo sat up and lazily stretched, surprised at how little pain she felt in her side. She turned her body a few times to test herself, still not feeling anything too painful. The area around her ribs was still very sore, but apart from that, it appeared that the worst of the injury was healed.

Weiss had taken notice of her girlfriend's movements, and sat up with an expression that was hopeful, but also slightly concerned. "How're you feeling?" she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Neo grinned and leapt out of the bed, doing a cartwheel to show of her mobility as she landed, "Fantastic! I told you I'd be ready to fight!"

Weiss wasn't entirely convinced, but she couldn't deny that Neo looked infinitely better than she had in the hospital the day before. She sighed, "Well... Alright, if you're sure, but please don't push yourself. We've already seen how that plays out."

Neo smiled and nodded before grabbing her clothes and rushing to get the first shower since the rest of the team had yet to get out of bed. Once everyone had gotten their turn and finished their usual morning preparations, they left for a quick breakfast before heading into town to see the start of the Vytal Festival.

It was a beautiful day to start the festival on. Warm, sunny, not a cloud in the sky. A gentle breeze rolled across the path as the girls descended into town, idly chatting about what events they were most excited for. Blake informed Neo of the dance that would be held after the tournament, and she gave Weiss a hopeful look about the two of them going together. That heiress replied with a light kiss, giving Neo the perfect answer. That is, if she managed to place in the tournament.

Every student at Beacon, and all students visiting from the other kingdoms, as well as many of the townsfolk, had gathered near the centre of the city, facing a raised platform with a podium. On it stood professors Ozpin, Goodwitch, Oobleck, General Ironwood, and a few others Neo didn't recognise. Ozpin said a few words about, culture, unity, and the kingdoms, which everyone else added to, before an older man announced the official start of the festival. Neo didn't pay much attention to them though, her mind was too focused on the tournament, now only a few short hours away.

After a few more speeches, the crowd cheered as a parade began to make its way through the city streets, loudly proclaiming the festival had begun. Neo found she wasn't a fan of all the excessive noise and confetti, although the candy that some of the floats threw around easily grabbed her and Ruby's attention alike. Weiss sighed at how childish Neo could be at times, but seeing how much pressure she was under today, scrambling for sweets wasn't the worst way she could be trying to keep calm.

Matches began a few hours later in the colosseum in the northern part of the city. Normally, this venue was used for major sporting events and professional fighting competitions, and as such it was truly a sight to behold. It held nearly ninety thousand people, and had a centre arena that was just over a one hundred by one hundred yard square. Today, that space had been divided into six smaller areas in the hope of getting through the large volume of matches that had to be held today in a timely man's, just shy of two hundred and fifty.

Neo wasn't fortunate enough to have a by in the first round, so now she waited in the stands with the rest of her team until she received a notification on her scroll to report to the locker room to prepare for her match. She took a deep breath and said a nervous goodbye to her team, who gave her nothing but support as she moved out of the stands and down to change. '_Alright, here we go,_' she thought as she walked through the tunnels and into the large locker room. '_First match, I can do this. I haven't come this far to lose now, I've got this._'

Her mental pep talk didn't help her as much as she would've liked, and she felt as like she wanted to throw up. She didn't actually need to change into combat gear, since she always fought in her normal clothes, so instead she just stored her purse, scroll, and other amenities in one of the lockers before being ushered out into the arena to take her place for her first match. She found some comfort after picking her teammates out in the stands, along with team JNPR, whom she could see were all cheering for her as she came into view. She could also make out Ozpin and Ironwood looking down at her from their high viewing box, both eager to see how she would perform.

She stepped into the section designated for her match, and finally got a look at her first opponent. Her eyes flew open, _'You have got to be fucking kidding me..._'

Opposite her was probably the largest boy she'd ever seen. He stood easily two and a half feet taller than her, and his physique made him resemble some sort of human-Ursa hybrid. He wore a heavy set of plate armour, each piece adorned with several decorative crests bearing the likeness of a hawk. His weapon was a massive stone warhammer, the thick, rectangular head of which weighed more than Neo herself.

She glanced up at her team, who looked almost as uneasy as she did. Weiss was still cheering her name though, undeterred by the sheer size of the opponent. "You can do it!" Neo managed to read from her lips, and smiled as she turned back to face the giant man.

'_Should've seen this one coming,_' she thought sarcastically as the transition started to take hold. '_Nothing's been easy so far, why start now?_' Beo leant on her umbrella as the switch finished, gazing across at her opponent with a cocky grin. The referee entered between the two, checking if both were ready to begin the fight. After receiving two nods, he blew his whistle, and the match began.

**Hello hello! Just saw I joined the 100 follower club, and I'm about to pass 10,000 views. Thank you everyone who's read this far, I hope to keep you coming back for more! The tournament is finally underway, and things are definitely going to heat up quickly now. I've got the majority of the arc planned out from here, but I'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to see in the future. Leave a review of what you'd enjoy reading, or of anything I could do to improve my writing she make the story better overall. I'll get back to writing, and I'll see you all next time! **


	12. Chapter 12: Let the Games Begin

**Hi guys! Just passed 10,000 views, so let me start out by saying 10,000 thank you's to all of you for enjoying the story enough to have read this far. I'm glad to have gotten so much positive feedback for this being my first story, and I hope I've been improving along the way. Apart from that, I don't have much else to say. You know the drill by now, leave a review if you've got something you'd like to share with me, blah blah blah. :P Anyway, here's the next chapter, enjoy!**

Chapter 12: Let the Games Begin

Beo stood opposite her brute of a first opponent, waiting to see if he would be the first to act in their match. He stood completely still, analysing Beo, while she did the same in return to him. His armour and stature ruled out the possibility of supply overpowering him, and so Beo was forced to think of another way to bring him down. A few ideas came to mind, but first she needed to see how he fought. After about fifteen seconds of stillness, Beo was the first to strut forward, wanting to judge how he'd react to her advancement.

As she neared the centre of the space between them, he suddenly leapt forward, swinging his hammer in a wide arc over his head. Beo had no trouble moving out of the way as the tremendous blow connected with the earth, sending a vibration through the ground that Beo was able to feel, as well as making a boom that rivalled thunder. She took this opportunity to move in and plant a few blows of her own. Her goal now wasn't necessarily to try to deal damage, but more so an attempt to find a weak spot along the armour.

She weaved around the boy's tree trunk like body, throwing experimentary punches and kicks at locations she thought could could be weaker than others. In response, her opponent swung his arm at her, connecting the back of his closed fist with her stomach, effectively swatting her away like a fly. She landed awkwardly, and struggled slightly as she returned to her feet. The blow had completely knocked the wind out of her, as well as making her momentarily she stars in her vision.

_'Holy fuck_,' she thought as she considered what to do next. _'If that's just his fist, I don't even wanna think about what that hammer would feel like. I'd probably be better off getting hit by a truck._'

Now her opponent took the initiative, charging forward with his hammer trailing beside him as he readied it for another attack. He unleashed a series of slow but powerful swings at Beo, who dodged them with ease. Her side felt considerably more sore after taking the hit, but nothing that wasn't manageable. She used this time to search for an opening in the pattern of his swings, eventually finding one she felt was suitable to take advantage of, and continued to avoid the onslaught of attacks coming at her until the opening appeared again. Then, she rushed in.

She ducked under the massive hunk of stone as it collided with the ground again, aiming her strikes at her opponent's off-balance legs. Specifically, she went after his right knee, kicking it from behind and sending him to the ground as he attempted to spin around to face her. She also landed a few quick blows to his head before he landed, then jumped back to stay out of range of his weapon once he stood back up.

The effort of carrying such a large mass that included himself, his weapon, and his armour showed as he got to his feet. He seemed to strain under his own weight, and Beo knew she had found the weakness she had been searching for. '_Alright, should be easy enough from here. Avoid the hammer, and knock him on his ass. One or two more times seems like it'll put him out. If not, maybe I can just keep dodging and tire him out that way._'

With that strategy in mind, she leapt back into the fight, even more cocky than before. She repeated her moves from last time, adding a bit of flair to her dodging to both show off and try to psych out her opponent. The opening came again, and again she sent the giant crashing to the ground. Beo smirked, and her overconfidence starting to go to her head. Her opponent returned to his feet, taking much longer than last time to do so, and she went in again knowing she only needed one more good knockdown.

However, as much as he looked like just a wall of muscle, this boy knew enough to see what Beo had been exploiting in his style, and now he moved to counter. He went through the same motions as before, letting Beo grow even cockier as she weaved around his strikes, until he arrived at the swing that Beo would move in at. Anticipating this, he readied himself to strike as Beo came in, sure that her victory was at hand. She gasped as she saw the blow coming, but didn't have time to react. The full force of the massive stone hammer slammed into her, sending her flying across the arena until she rolled to a stop.

For about ten seconds, she was completely motionless on the ground. He teammates faces were frozen in horror, fearing that she was unconscious, or worse, that the blow had struck her injured side. Finally, she pulled herself up onto her hands and knees, spitting out a glob of blood from a long gash on her lip caused by a sharp rock during her tumble. She shakily returned to her feet, allowing the rest of her team to breathe a partial sigh of relief. The impact had shaken her up considerably, but her aura managed to take the brunt of the force, which had thankfully been on her non-injured side.

'_Alright, I take it back,_' Beo thought. '_I'd much rather be hit by a truck. Time for plan B._'

Instead of advancing, she went into a defensive stance. Her opponent gave her a quizzical look, as did the rest of team RWBY, who thought that perhaps that hit had messed with her head. She grinned, narrowing her eyes as she waited for the attack she knew would come. Sure enough, the boy charged toward her, unable to think of a way she could avoid him. Now he resembled an oncoming train, the force of which was sure to be the end of the match if it connected. He pulled his hammer back, ready to cleave across the seemingly helpless girl in front of him. He started to swing, and Beo had him right where she wanted him. With a smirk, she activated her semblance.

Her opponent's swing sailed clean through her illusion, meeting no resistance as it did, pulling him completely off balance as it came around. Beo appeared just behind his right leg, and delivered a hard kick to the side of his knee, sending him to the ground with an anguished cry of pain.

"And that's the match!" the referee suddenly called, rushing over to the two and blowing his whistle to prevent any further combat. Sure enough, Beo turned to see his aura flashing red on the scoreboard screen off on the side of the arena. "Our winner, Neopolitan!"

She turned with wide open smile to see her friends cheering her name from their seats, and threw her fist in the air in triumph. She saw Ozpin and Ironwood smiling down at her as well, and she felt as though she were on top of the world. Neo quickly made the transition back to her normal self, and turned back to the giant she had just defeated, who had once more returned to his feet, as walked up beside her.

"That was a good match, congratulations on winning," he said, his voice sounding like a mix between Ren and Cardin, which Neo hadn't expected. She imagined he would have a much deeper, commanding tone, similar to Ironwood.

He extended his hand, which Neo happily shook before running back to locker room to retrieve her things. She rejoined her team a few minutes later, who were all elated to see that not only had she won, but that she was also alright after taking the kinds of blows she had.

"That was amazing!" Weiss cheered, jumping up to give Neo a hug as she returned. Neo responded by giving her girlfriend a passionate kiss on the lips, which was happily reciprocated.

Blake cleared her throat after a moment, "Aren't you supposed to be keeping this a secret right now?" The two froze, eyes meeting mid-kiss with a look of panic. Realising that Blake was right, they instantly separated, both blushing as they took their seats.

It took nearly four hours for the rest of the first round matches to be played out. Weiss went not long after Neo, winning against a boy with a similar style and weapon as her, although his glyphs were not nearly as strong as hers. Blake went around the same time as Pyrrha, both girls winning as expected. Unfortunately Ruby, Ren, Sun, and Scarlett all lost their first match. The only other person in their group of friends who won was Neptune. His was one of the last matches of the day, and he squared off against a tall girl who fought with twin short swords. It was a very long, very close battle that he eventually emerged victorious from.

All three teams came together afterwards for dinner and to talk about their fights, some of them more happy to discuss it than others. Ruby was especially disappointed, having wanted to show off more of what she was capable of for her age. Neo's match was talked about the most, with everyone taking turns sharing their opinions on her opponents immense size. She was just happy to have won, and hoped that her next match wouldn't be against someone do monolithic.

"So tomorrow you'll each have two matches," Yang said, going over the brackets and round information on her scroll. "Ooo, if Neo and Blake both win their first match, they'll go up against each other."

Neo gave the Faunus girl a nervous look, "Wow, that kinda sucks..."

The table went quiet, feeling the awkwardness surrounding the possibility of the match. On one hand, Neo wanted to have a normal match, but she also desperately wanted to win. If Blake knocked her out of the tournament, she didn't want to think of how Weiss would react, let alone how she'd feel knowing that Blake had effectively ended their relationship.

Blake gave a small smile, "Don't worry, Neo. If it comes to that, I won't stand in the way of you advancing. This is way more important for you than it is for me."

"Are you... saying you're going to throw the match?" Pyrrha asked in surprise. "If an official thinks you're letting her though, they'll disqualify you both. Not to mention that Professor Ozpin will be watching as well, and I know he won't be happy if sees you do that."

Blake shook her head, "I never said I'd throw the match. If Neo wants this, I'm gonna make her work for it. But, I couldn't bring myself to stop you."

Neo was very conflicted. In truth, she did want Blake to just let her win, but didn't like the thought of it. She sighed, "No. Blake, I want this to be like any other match. If I win, I win. If I lose, I lose. Promise me you'll try to win?"

The table went silent again, looking to Blake for her response. She took a moment to think, but ultimately agreed. Neo could see Weiss' uneasiness with the agreement, knowing fully that losing to Blake would have serious consequences for the team as a whole in the future, but she had to do the right thing.

After dinner, the group spent the remainder of the evening out at the carnival that had been set up for the festival. Jaune's old nickname of "Vomit Boy" came back to haunt him after Ruby and Yang took him on the spinning teacups, which unfortunately made the ride a splash zone for the other riders. Meanwhile, Neo and Weiss stuck to much tamer rides, like the Ferris wheel, which was more just an excuse to have somewhere to make out without anyone seeing. The night progressed, and the group moved on from that rides to the games. Neo managed to win a giant stuffed bear for Weiss from the ring toss booth, despite the heiress' insistence that it was unwinnable. Weiss tried to act as if it were too childish to carry the stuffed animal around all night, but couldn't hide how cute she thought it was.

The night ended with a fireworks display in celebration of a successful first day of the festival, and the group finally split up to return to their respective dorms. Neo collapsed onto her bed the moment they walked through the door, acting too tired to walk the addition ten steps to Weiss'.

Yang smirked, "Why do we even still have a bed for you? You haven't actually slept in it since you and Weiss got together." Neo only shrugged, refusing to remove her face from its buried position in her pillow.

Weiss rolled her eyes, "It's alright, if she doesn't want to sleep together tonight I suppose she can stay-"

"No!" Neo interrupted, quickly jumping over to the heiress' bed. The rest of the team laughed at her panic, even though she knew Weiss was just messing with her. After changing into their nightwear, the two happily snuggled up, enjoying both the warmth and company of the other. Ruby did another triple check of her alarm before turning out the lights and letting everyone get to sleep.

The next morning came a bit later than the previous, which all of the girls were happy about. The alarm rang, bringing them out of their peaceful slumber and forcing them to prepare for the day. Neo wasn't sure if anyone else felt it, but to her there seemed to be an awkward aura surrounding her and Blake as they went about their morning routines. She was still extremely uneasy about the likelihood of them having a match together, and it seemed like perhaps Blake felt that way as well. Regardless, she did her best to ignore it and went about her morning like any other.

The hours flew by amid the commotion and excitement the festival had brought to the city, and it didn't seem like long at all before team RWBY made its way back to the colosseum for the second day of the tournament. With the number of students participating now cut in half after the first round, today would consist of both rounds two and three. Neo was still on edge, but knew that she had to win her next match to even have the chance to fight Blake, and now preparing herself for this match took priority in her head.

Weiss and Pyrrha had their first match at the same time today, only a half hour or so after matches had started. Pyrrha took an easy victory, at least that's how it appeared to Neo up in the stands. On the other hand, Weiss' match lasted much longer. Her opponent, a tall black-haired boy, fought with a style fairly similar to Yang's. He used two black, bladed gauntlets fitted to fire rifle rounds, but the similarities ended there, as his semblance seemed to revolve around wind rather than fire. At the end of the match Weiss stood victorious, though just barely.

Blake's match was held nearly an hour later, and she had no difficulty defeating the girl she was pitted against. Resembling a female version of Jaune, this girl also fought with a sword and shield, though they were much more ornate and brightly coloured than his. The fight ended after only thirty seconds, with Blake knocking the girl's aura into the red after only four quick strikes. The last few matches of the round were being called, and Neo grew more and more anxious with each passing second. She waited for her alert to get ready, but it never came. The current matches finished, and General Ironwood announced that round three would begin in fifteen minutes.

Weiss turned to Neo with a look of confusion, "Hey wait a minute, you didn't have your match." Neo shared her expression, wondering if perhaps they'd just missed her. In a flash, Yang whipped out her scroll to see if there had been a change to the brackets.

"Huh... It says you won your second round match," Yang said, sounding equally as confused as her teammate. "Maybe the guy you were up against forfeited?"

"Or maybe he got hurt," Ruby added. "You should probably go talk to someone though, just to make sure."

Neo nodded and got up from her seat. She moved to the exit of the stands and looked around for someone who looked like they were involved with the tournament. Not seeing anyone obvious, she decided to just go straight to Ozpin and Ironwood. The halls leading through the colosseum were a bit of a maze, but Neo managed to find her way through and up to the viewing area. She knocked on the door, and was met by Professor Ozpin.

"Ah, good afternoon, Neo," he greeted, motioning for her to come into the booth. "I had a feeling we'd be hearing from you. I assume you want to know why you didn't have a match this round?" Neo nodded, and it was the general who gave the answer.

"Unfortunately, your opponent was forced to withdraw due to an illness," he said. "You were given a victory by default, and will advance. I believe you face Miss Belladonna now, correct?"

"Y-Yeah..." Neo replied, her feelings on the matter very apparent.

"Is something wrong?"

"Well... Yes and no," she said with a sigh. She wasn't sure if she should elaborate, since it could be bad for both her and Blake if their agreement didn't hold up, but she had to get it off her chest. "Blake essentially told me that she was going to let me win the match, since she wants me to advance. I made her promise not to, but I don't know if she'll keep to her word."

Professor Ozpin gazed over to where the rest of team RWBY sat in the stands, taking a moment to think. "I see..." he said flatly. He didn't sound angry, but Neo could tell he wasn't happy. "James, what are the technicalities involved with this? If Miss Belladonna throws the match of her own accord, what are the penalties involved for Neo?"

The general had been pacing, thinking about exactly what Ozpin was asking. He shook his head, "Neo would still advance, but it wouldn't do her any good since she's doing this to give credibility to her name. If Blake truly intends not to win, finding grounds to disqualify her with could make things go over more smoothly, but then I'm still just advancing Neo without a match, and I simply can't do that. I don't know, Oz, this is a very... tricky situation."

"I agree," Ozpin replied before turning back to Neo. "I'm glad you brought this to our attention beforehand. Please tell Miss Belladonna that I expect nothing short of a great match from her."

Neo gave a faint smile and nodded before departing. She made her way back to her seat, informing her teammates of why she was advanced, and of Professor Ozpin's comment to Blake. The Faunus girl looked far from pleased that Neo had said something to the headmaster on the matter, but couldn't blame her. A few minutes later matches resumed, and finally the time came that Neo and Blake were called to get ready. They walked together to the locker room, storing their belongings in the same locker before being shown to their sub-arena.

They took their spots at either end, bowing to each other as the official prepared to start the match. Neo swiftly went through her transition, readying herself for what would hopefully be a difficult match. "Ready?" the official asked, looking back and forth at both girls, receiving a nod each. "Begin!"

Blake immediately charged in, giving Beo a run for her money right from the start. Her strikes were deftly placed, each one requiring Beo to dodge more than she normally needed to. The onslaught continued as Blake started to integrate her semblance into the flurry of attacks, forcing Beo to spin at odd angles to be able to dodge and parry in time. A pattern began to emerge similarly as it had during training, and Beo knew exactly the right time to counter.

She waited for the next blow, glancing it off her umbrella, and activated her own semblance, moving a few yards behind Blake, who slashed right through the illusion left behind and fell to ground from the lack of resistance. Beo smirked and took the offensive, performing her usual exuberant style of flips and spins to both attack and avoid possible retaliation. Blake used her semblance to meet Beo in the air mid-flip, grabbing her by the shoulders and attempting to slam her into the ground.

They fell in a tumble that Blake was in control of up until the very end, when Beo quickly shifted to plant her feet before Blake, and used the girl's momentum to fling her over her own shoulder and send her back first onto the floor. The sudden counter and impact had Blake dazed, but only momentarily. She sprung back to her feet and resume her attack, surprising Beo with her sudden burst of speed. Now simply dodging wasn't enough, and Beo was forced to use her umbrella, both open and extended, to be able to avoid taking the hits that continued to come her way.

The duel went back and forth several times between who was attacking and who was defending before both girls eventually took on both roles simultaneously, one blocking while the other countered, then reversing, and repeating. Nearly fifteen minutes passed, and at this point it was a battle of attrition more than anything else. The only way to win seemed to be by exhausting the other, or capitalising on a mistake they would make. Beo was noticeably worn down, her aura much lower than Blake's, and it seemed as though the Faunus girl was going to end her run here.

Blake charged yet again, fully utilising her semblance to attack Beo from every side, seemingly all at once. Beo's heart sank as she put the pattern of strikes that Blake was using now together with what she'd seen her do in training, and realised she was being set up for the finishing blow. She lacked the time needed to use her semblance to escape between slashes, the only thing she could do was to keep blocking until the last hit came. Blake's attacks didn't let up as she neared the end of her sequence, with Beo now extremely off balance and ready to fall.

Blake made a final teleport as she moved to strike, but it was not at all to where Beo suspected. Right now, her back was entirely exposed, and landing a blow there would surely end the match. Instead, Blake reappeared to Beo's left, and Beo was easily able to not only parry the attack, but also grab onto Blake's arm and swing her wide overhead, forcefully slamming her onto the ground with the aid of a mid-air kick.

"That's the match!" the official suddenly called, pulling Beo's attention over you the scoreboard. Sure enough, Blake's aura had dropped to the red. "Our winner, Neopolitan!"

_'Wait, what the fuck?_' Neo thought as she made the switch back. '_Of all the places she could move to, why there? She had me, and she..._' It suddenly clicked in her head what had happened, and she stared stunned at Blake, mouth wide open, before rushing back to the lockers.

She sat down on a bench near the back of the room and started to cry, and it wasn't long before Blake came in to find her. "Hey, are you alright?" she asked with a concerned look, taking a seat beside her sobbing teammate. "Neo, what's wrong?"

"Y-You... You promised..." was all Neo could manage to say.

Blake sighed, "Neo... Please don't be upset. I didn't throw the match, you beat me fair and square. I may have made an obvious mistake at the end that led you to win, but I-"

"SHUT UP!" Neo shrieked, her anger having her on the verge of transitioning again. "You made a promise with me, and you broke it, plain and simple. You should've won, even I knew where you could've hit me to win! I can't believe you right now, I'm just... I can't..."

"Neo, please don't be like this," Blake said quietly, her voice sounding very small. "You knew I was going to do it all along. If you really didn't want me to, you would've done something more when you talked to Ozpin. It's too important for you to win, and I refuse to be the person who stands in your way. And besides, I didn't really break my promise. You made me promise that I'd try to win. Try, not succeed. I did exactly as Ozpin said as well, you can't deny that was a great match. Believe me Neo, you did earn this victory, and I know you'll earn another six more."

Neo cocked her head to the side, "Six? I though I only needed five more to place."

"And one more after that to take first. You're an amazing fighter, a great friend, and you deserve to win. I can't take this away from you."

"T-Thanks," Neo replied. She wiped her eyes and looked down at the floor, still upset about the end of the match, but feeling a bit better. "I'm sorry I screamed like that... I know you meant well. You still shouldn't have don't that, though. No matter how much is riding on this for me, I don't want to cheat to win, even if losing means... losing Weiss."

Blake smiled and put a comforting hand on Neo's shoulder, "I could never come between you and Weiss. She'll probably never admit this, but you're easily the best thing that's ever happened to her, and I know you two have a bright future ahead of you. Now come on, let's get back to the team. I bet they're waiting to congratulate you."

"I guess so. Thanks, Blake," Neo smiled back. They returned their seats, and Neo was greeted by the praise Blake had predicted for her. Surprisingly, none of them seemed to realise that Blake had let her win at the end, and she hoped that Ozpin was just as oblivious.

The rest of this round went by fairly quickly now that the number of students had been reduced from the first day. Weiss' match was held not long after Neo's, and she won after a lengthy duel against a taller boy who fought with a broadsword. Once again, Pyrrha seemed to take an effortless victory, making Neo a little jealous of her friend's skill. She did take some comfort in the fact that the only way the two of them could have a match together would be if they both made it to the finals. But that was a long way off even if they both made it that far.

One of the last matches today was Neptune's. He squared off against a girl with machine pistol swords, somewhat resembling Gambol Shroud without the folding action and tether. The match seemed to be in her favour until the very end. The two were about thirty feet apart, and she reached for a new magazine to reload and finish Neptune before he could reach her. She locked in the magazine and readied the gun as Neptune started to charge, but froze in horror when she pulled the trigger and heard only a click. She cocked the gun again, and still nothing. Neptune slammed into her head on, sending her flying and bringing her aura into the red.

"Wait wait wait," Yang said as the referee called the match for Neptune. "Did she forget to load her backup magazines? That seems like a really stupid mistake at this level of competition."

Blake shared her partner's scepticism, "Maybe it was a dud round? But even then it would've been ejected when she cocked it a second time." Team RWBY shared a few looks as they all came to the same theory in their heads as to what had happened, but no one wanted to be the first to say it.

"You don't think..." Ruby cautiously ventured, sounding unsure of herself. She looked back down at Neptune, who was walking back into the locker room with a smug smile after his victory.

Weiss finished her leader's sentence, "That he cheated?" The girls were quiet for a moment. It was a serious accusation to make, but it didn't seem farfetched at all to them that Neptune would try something like that. "I think we need more evidence before we jump to any conclusions. I don't recall seeing anything else like that in his other matches, I'm sure she just forgot to load it."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Yang said, shaking her head as if to get the thoughts out.

The last of the matches ended, and it came with a sigh of relief for the students who were advancing. Tomorrow was Sunday, and no matches would be held in order to let them enjoy the festival and recover their strength. The next three rounds would be held on Monday, which would be followed by another day off.

That then left Wednesday for the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and at last the finals. Of all the upcoming dates, Neo found she was most excited for Thursday. Not just because the tournament would be over, but also because it was the day she'd be going to the Vytal Festival Ball with the one person she loved more than anyone else in the world. She knew that she still had a few difficult days ahead of her to earn that privilege, but that didn't seem to dampen her spirits. What she didn't know, was that the biggest things standing in her way weren't the tournament at all.


	13. Chapter 13: One Step Forward

**Hi everyone! So I'll start out by apologizing for how long this chapter took, but having four exams in one week did not leave me much time to write. :P Hopefully this doesn't become a recurring thing, but I guess we'll have to wait and see. Pretty sure I failed two out of the four exams, so I may need to devote more of my time to school. Anyway, you're not heart to listen to me whine about college, you're here for the next chapter, so here it is!**

Chapter 13: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

"So what do you guys wanna do today?" Yang cheerfully asked her teammates though a mouthful of sandwich. Today was their first break from matches, and team RWBY intended to use it as a day of relaxation. They'd already gotten off to a good start by not being woken up by an alarm or a whistle, and were now on the middle of eating lunch and making plans for the rest of the day.

Ruby shrugged at her sister, "I dunno, but whatever we decide on, let's make sure it's nothing that involves a lot of work. Or moving. Or physical activity of any kind."

"So... stay in bed all day?" Neo asked with a devious grin. Ruby smiled back and shrugged again, feigning that that hadn't been her idea from the start. Neo turned to Weiss, raising her eyebrows a few times as she did. "Sounds like a plan to me."

Now Ruby turned a deep shade of red as she covered her face with her hands. She groaned, peeking at the couple through her fingers, "Ewwww! Come on, were eating!" Neo and Weiss shared a giggle at their leader's disgust, but didn't continue to torture her after seeing a similar expression from Blake.

Yang rolled her eyes, "Alright, but seriously, what do you wanna do?"

"Well, I guess if you're looking for maximum relaxation, we could all go out to the spa for the afternoon," Weiss eventually suggested. She looked at the rest of her team expecting to see anxious nods of agreement, but instead saw sceptical glances going between them. "What's wrong with a spa day?"

Yang turned to Weiss with an almost sad look, "Isn't the only spa in town, like, hella expensive? None of us have the money to spend on stuff like that."

Weiss rolled her eyes, "You forget, I'm a Schnee. Don't worry about how much it costs, it's my treat. So what do you say?" The team exchanged a few more looks before agreeing to take Weiss up on her offer. She smiled, "Perfect! I'll call and make our appointments once we finish eating. This is going to be great!"

They finished lunch not long after and returned to their dorm, where Weiss went ahead and had them scheduled in at the spa. She sat down on her bed with Neo after hanging up, giving her a quick kiss as she did. The heiress was acting almost as energetic as Ruby, which her teammates couldn't help but laugh at.

'_Wow, she never gets this excited,_' Neo thought in a mix of happiness and surprise. Of course, she wasn't complaining. She loved to see Weiss forgo her usual properness and act like a normal teenage girl from time to time.

The team departed soon after to get there on time, since the spa was located on the far side of the city. Normal customers had to book an appointment a week in advance to get the time slot they wanted, but Weiss managed to pull a few a strings and reserve a spot for them all in an hour. Instead of walking, the girls took one of the airships to make sure they'd arrive on time. They spent the ride merrily chatting about what treatments they were going to have done, except for Neo, who was oddly quiet for the short length of the flight.

"Neo, are you okay?" Ruby finally asked as they disembarked. "You look sort of... afraid."

Neo snapped out of her half daydream state and turned to her leader, doing her best not to show how she was feeling. "What? No, I'm feeling fine. Just peachy, see?" she said, faking a big smile that didn't fool anyone.

Yang put her hands on her hips, "Neo, just tell us what's wrong."

"Alright, alright, I'm a little... nervous. I don't like the idea of leaving myself so vulnerable and exposed. Not that I think anything will happen here, I've just had some bad experiences in the past. Plus, I don't really like people touching me to begin with." Weiss huffed and crossed her arms, making Neo giggle. "You're the exception."

The heiress sighed, "Well why didn't you say something before we left? We could've done something else instead."

"I dunno, you guys seemed like you really wanted to go, and I didn't want to be the only person that stopped you. Who knows, maybe I'll enjoy it."

Weiss' expression softened, and she walked over to Neo and gave her a peck on the cheek. "If you don't want to come, you don't have to," she said. "You can go out whenever you want, I'll pay for it. I-"

Neo put a hand up to stop her girlfriend, "Weiss, I'll be fine. Come on, let's get going. We don't want to be late." Weiss still felt bad, but didn't argue any further.

They made the walk from the airport to the salon in good time, with Neo and Weiss walking hand in hand as usual. Neo's grip was a little tighter than normal, which only increased once they came into view of the spa. The woman behind the counter warmly greeted them as they walked inside, and led them down a hallway to the get started. Weiss had already chosen the base packages for each of them on the phone, and the girls were led to separate rooms, except for Weiss and Neo, who were starting with a couples massage.

The masseuses stepped outside to let the two disrobe and get comfortable on the tables underneath their towels. Neo was a little apprehensive, but having Weiss there with her helped to calm her down. The women returned to begin the massage, starting by applying mineral oil to the girl's backs. The feel of it was completely new to Neo, very strange but oddly soothing. It was only a matter of seconds before her adversity to being touched, as well as her anxiety surrounding the massage, melted away under the masseuse's seemingly magical hands.

_'I wonder if Weiss would mind making this a weekly thing,_' Neo thought with a smile as she slipped into a state of pure bliss. '_Because I could really get used to this._'

The massage lasted an hour, which Neo felt wasn't nearly enough. Awards, she and Weiss were led to a large private bath, which they didn't at all mind sharing, the water of which was filled with various oils, salts, aromatics, and what to Neo seemed like anything they could find to make it look fancier. They settled into the warm water, and Neo noticed a sort of smug grin on Weiss' face. "What's that look?" she asked, grinning a bit herself.

Weiss shrugged, "Oh, nothing really. I'm just remembering how scared you were at the airport."

"Oh hush," Neo laughed, sending a playful splash at her girlfriend. Weiss was quick to retaliate, sparking a heated war between the two that Neo was eventually declared the winner of.

Following their bath, the two were reunited with their teammates for a Mani-Pedi, and finally ended their afternoon at the spa getting their hair done. All five of them looked stunning, but Neo couldn't help but feel jealous of how Yang looked. The blonde's golden locks had been curled to absolute perfection, and she seemed to radiate beauty as the team walked back to the airship, turning the head of every single man she passed.

"Hey Weiss, thanks for taking us out," Blake said as the girls took their seats.

Ruby nodded in agreement, "Yeah, thanks. We need to do something nice for you to pay you back. Isn't your birthday coming up soon? I know you said not to throw you a party or anything, but you always take us to such nice places, I feel like we should do something for you."

"I dunno," Yang said with a smirk, turning to her partner. "Blake already gave her the gift of still having a girlfriend. That's gonna be pretty hard to top."

Weiss went to say a snappy comeback, but Neo spoke up before she had the chance. "Hold on, how soon is your birthday?" she asked, feeling bad that somehow the subject hadn't come up yet.

Weiss sighed, "It's on Wednesday. Sorry I didn't tell you, but I hate when people make a big deal out of it. And no, Ruby, you guys don't have to get me anything. Neo winning the tournament will be the only present I need." She turned back to Neo, who looked shocked, but also strangely happy.

"That's incredible!" Neo shouted, turning all of her teammates heads to her. "I hadn't even thought about it, my birthday is on Wednesday too! I can't believe we share a birthday!"

Ruby looked confused, "How do you forget when your own birthday is?"

"Well, Cinder didn't exactly throw us parties," Neo said with a slight chuckle. "Birthdays sort of just came and went since we didn't always watch the dates on the calendar unless there was a reason to. Usually we'd realise a few days afterwards and have a little celebration when there was some down time. But now I can actually do something exciting for it!"

Yang grinned, "You might want to make that a 'we.' How about it, ice queen? You up for a super awesome double birthday party for the two of you?"

Weiss groaned, but couldn't say no to Neo getting to have the party she wanted. "Fine," she huffed, already regretting it from the look of both joy and pure evil coming over Yang's face. "But no presents. Like I said, Neo winning will be all I need."

"Aww, thanks," Neo said, giving Weiss a quick kiss on the lips. "Does that mean twice as many presents for me?" The other girls laughed, and they spent the rest of the flight making plans for the upcoming celebration. Weiss didn't give much input, but Neo had more than enough ideas for both of them.

It was nearly four-thirty by the time they were back on campus, and that left the team once again with the question of what to do. This time however, seeing as they looked the way they did after being at the spa, the decision of going somewhere fancy for dinner wasn't a hard one to make. All that was left was to change into more formal clothes, but that would still leave them with some time to kill before they needed to head back into town. A sudden buzzing on Weiss' scroll made the decision of what she and Neo would be doing for them as the she read the message she'd received.

"It's my dad, he wants us to call," Weiss said as they neared the dorm building, turning up Neo as she did. "I wonder what's wrong, he never calls without a reason."

"Maybe he wants to congratulate you guys on doing well in the tournament so far," Ruby ventured with her usual brand of cheery optimism.

Weiss rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but smile at her leader's positive attitude. She sighed and looked back at Neo, "Come on, let's go to the library and see what he wants."

They made the short walk over and found an empty booth to make the call from. Weiss connected through just as she had last time, and after ringing for a few seconds, her father's face appeared on the screen. "Good evening Weiss, Neo. My my, don't you two look stunning. May I ask what the occasion is?"

Weiss blushed at the compliment, not being used to receiving them from him, "No special occasion really, I took the team out for a spa day to relax from the tournament."

"Ah yes, the tournament," her father said with a smile. "We've been watching the broadcast from home. Your mother, sister, and I that is, and we're all very proud of your performance so far."

"Thank you. So, is that why you wanted us to call?"

Her father's face fell, and he rested his head in hands, "I wish it were. Unfortunately, this has to do with you and Neo. Your mother isn't being quite as... supportive in your choice of lifestyle as I am. She's firmly against you dating another woman, and I've had no luck in persuading her to give you two a chance. We've been fighting very frequently about it."

Neo was taken back by the news. Up until then, she had just assumed that the rest of Weiss' family shared the same beliefs as her father. "Oh..." she said quietly, looking down at her hands.

"That's why I wanted to talk to you both," Weiss' father continued. "While I don't believe it will be easy to change her mind completely, I'm positive there's a way you could find to convince her to simply let it be. Neo, since you've won over all of Beacon so easily, I'd imagine it wouldn't be too great a challenge to do the same here."

Weiss gave a small laugh and turned to her girlfriend, "I think she can do that. Neo does seem to have a way with people."

"Excellent. Perhaps the two of you could come home the weekend after the tournament, give the family a chance to meet Neo in person."

"I'd love to," Neo said without a hesitation. She smiled and looked over at Weiss, "That is, if it's alright with you too."

"Of course it is," Weiss replied before turning back to her father. "I guess we'll see you Saturday then. Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?"

He shook his head, "No, I believe that covers it. I suppose I'll keep this brief and let you two get back to your evening. Good luck tomorrow, we'll be cheering for you both."

The call ended and the couple turned to face each other, both girls thinking of how the coming weekend could play out. "So... how exactly did I win you guys over?" Neo asked. The question had been in her mind for a while, but she never had a reason, or care for that matter, to pry into it.

Weiss took a moment to think, but her expression afterwards showed that she hadn't come up with anything helpful. "I'm not really sure," she said, tapping her fingers on her leg while she thought. "Let's see... Blake came from the same sort of place you did, so of course she wanted to give you a chance. Ruby will go along with anyone, so that doesn't help here. We bonded over dinner, and then you asked me out, but I doubt that will work on my mother. That leaves..."

"Yang," Neo finished. "I've never really thought about it, but out of everyone on the team, she should've hated me the most... How did I get her to change her mind?"

Weiss shrugged, "I'm really not sure. Maybe you can ask her before we go to dinner?"

"I can do that. Let's get back to the dorm then, we still need to change before we can head out."

They swiftly made their way back to the room so they could slip into their most formal attire along with the rest of their teammates. Yang greeted them as they returned, "Hey guys! How'd the call go?"

Weiss sighed, "Alright, I guess. He started by congratulating us on the tournament so far. Then, he said that my mother doesn't approve of Neo and I, so we'll be going home this coming weekend to hopefully change her mind."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Blake said with a frown. "I'm sure it'll all turn out okay, Neo's pretty good at getting people to like her."

"I do my best." Neo smiled. She and Weiss looked through their wardrobe to find something they liked and got changed in the bathroom. All five girls then got to work on their makeup and finally did one last touch up on their hair before getting their purses and moving to the door. Neo pulled Yang aside as the blonde started to walk out, and turned to the rest of the team, "You guys go ahead, I need to talk to Yang quick."

Weiss smiled, "Alright, don't be too long."

The others departed, and Yang turned to Neo with a confused look, "Everything alright?"

"Sort of," Neo replied, sitting down on her bed. "I'm worried I won't be able to get Weiss' mom to approve of me. That's why I wanted to talk to you. When I got here, everyone either had an obvious reason for why they trusted me so easily, or I did something to prove to them that I had changed. That is, everyone expect for you. Out of everyone here, you should've hated me the most, but you didn't, and I don't know why. I guess what I'm asking is why you to trusted me so quickly."

Yang gave a sympathetic smile and sat down next to Neo. She laughed, "Well, I can tell you why, but I don't think it'll do you any good with Mrs. Schnee. You're right that didn't trust you at first, but what changed that was when we had your shoulder fixed at the hospital. You reminded me a lot of Ruby then, with the way I was there to hold your hand while the doctor had to do something unpleasant. For Ruby that was always vaccines, but still. I dunno, as weird as it sounds, I've kinda looked at you like a sort of adopted sister after that. You do remind me of Ruby in a lot of ways, and I guess it's the big sister in me that wanted to help you."

"Huh..." Neo said, taking a moment to let Yang's words sink in. "I've never thought about it like that, but you have acted like a sister to me. The way I can always come to you for advice, or when I just need someone for support."

"I guess that doesn't really help your situation much, huh? If I think of anything that could I'll be sure to let you know."

Neo smiled, "Thanks, Yang. It's funny, I've always wanted a sister."

"I thought you grew up with Emerald and Mercury, didn't you think of them as your siblings?" Yang asked.

"No, not really," Neo replied, shaking her head. She stood up and walked over to look out the window. "We weren't raised as a family. I wouldn't think of Cinder as being my mother either. I don't really know what word I'd use to describe her relationship with me, but with Emerald and Mercury we were no different than friends. Close friends for sure, but not close enough that I'd think of them as my brother and sister."

Neo paused a moment, still looking outside. She sighed and walked back over to Yang, who had also stood up. "Well, we're all your family now," the blonde said with a smile, wrapping an arm around Neo and pulling her in tightly. "Now let's get going, the ice queen won't be happy if we keep her too long."

"Even you have to admit she's gotten a lot less icy since I came here," Neo laughed as the two left the room, locking the door behind them.

Yang shrugged, "Meh, I guess. The nickname still fits though."

They met up with the rest of the team outside the building and started their walk across campus. Again, they took the airship out to get to their destination on time. The restaurant Weiss had chosen put anything she'd taken the team to previously to shame, leaving the rest of her team in awe. The interior looked more like a grand ballroom than a restaurant, it was so spacious and filled with antiquities that none of the girls could even begin to guess the value of. Neo couldn't believe that this was the kind of place Weiss was used to going to on a regular basis, and felt so out of place as she and the rest of her team were escorted to their suite of a table.

"Remember, best behaviour," the heiress said in a hushed but commanding tone after the waiter had left.

Yang rolled her eyes, "Oh lighten up, we won't embarrass you. Too badly." Weiss glared at her blonde teammate, who shrugged and picked up her menu.

All of the girls chose their dinner based on suggestions from Weiss, since none of them were entirely certain of what all the things being offered to them actually were. Even after the dishes had been brought out they still weren't able to identify everything in front of them, but that didn't change that it was delicious. The mall was going smoothly until a deafening burp from Yang brought every pair of eyes in the restaurant to her table. She laughed while Weiss slowly sank down in her chair, her face matching Ruby's hood.

Neo rested her head in her hands, "Yang... Didn't you say you'd behave?" Weiss furiously nodded in agreement with her girlfriend, unable to speak at that moment without it coming out as a scream. Meanwhile Blake and Ruby continued to eat, content to sit back and watch the fireworks about to go off.

The blonde shrugged, wearing a dumb grin as she did, "Nope. I'd never make a promise I can't keep."

Weiss went to speak, but thankfully Neo was fast enough to stop whatever venomous comment she would've yelled. "Calm down, calm down," she said in her most soothing voice while also stroking the heiress' hair. "You can yell all you want once we get back to the room. Let's have a nice rest of the night here, alright?"

Weiss continued to scowl at Yang for another few seconds before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Neo smiled and gave her a peck on the cheek before returning to her plate. The remainder of the evening went just as smoothly as the first half, and after dessert the team made their way back to Beacon to get some sleep before the next day of matches. Neo was relieved to change out of her heels and dress and into her much more soft and comfortable pajamas. Also, snuggling with Weiss was pretty nice too.

The next morning came at its usual time thanks to Ruby's alarm, but surprisingly Neo didn't mind. Despite it being a Monday, she felt more energized than usual, mostly from thought of matches today. The three matches she had would put her in the quarter finals were she to win them all, and knowing that there was only one more day of matches after today should that be the case, she couldn't help but be excited.

As they had the previous days, the girls met up with team JNPR for lunch before making their way to the colosseum. The center ring was set up slightly different to how it had been the last two days. Instead of six sub-arenas, there were only four, each a large square. With the number of fights today being dramatically lower than the previous days, they could finally afford to have fewer matches at a time, both to give students more time to recover between them as well as to give each match more focus than before. Neo wasn't much of a fan of the increased spotlight, and didn't even want to think about what it would be like in the finals with all eyes on her. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and turned her attention to the arena, where matches were getting ready to begin.

Round four of matches went far more smoothly than expected. Not just for Neo, but for Pyrrha, Neptune, and Weiss as well. Both team RWBY and team JNPR paid very close attention during Neptune's match after their accusations the other day, and were hoping they could put their suspicions to rest. Much to their relief, nothing out of the ordinary happened during the match. At the end of the round, the foot of them still competing had won their match without even breaking a sweat. However, the next round didn't go nearly as well.

Weiss' match was one of the first of this round, and it was by far the most brutal match any of her friends had seen in the tournament so far. Weiss' opponent was a fairly large boy with a large waraxe, fitted to fire high-caliber rounds from the head for added momentum. The heiress put up a valiant effort, but the sheer power of her opponent was just too much, and she ultimately lost the match after taking a number of heavy blows to her torso and midsection. Luckily, her aura did its job and she came back to the comforting arms of her teammates with only a few small cuts and bruises.

Pyrrha's fight came not long after, and for the first time in the tournament she was noticeably struggling. Her opponent was a near mirror of herself: The same weapon, armour type, fighting style, everything. They seemed to differ only in the colours they wore. This girl's armour had a sort of snow camouflage look to it, which complimented the icy blue of her hair. The match lasted nearly twenty minutes, with neither girl seeming to make any headway against the other until the very end. The one advantage Pyrrha had was her semblance, and while she didn't want to show it outright, she was able to integrate it subtly enough into her attacks to finally edge out a victory.

Next was Neo's match against an average looking boy with long, black hair. He wielded a longsword that transformed into a heavy crossbow, the bolts for which were tipped with various kinds of dust for different effects. The fight took a turn in his favour right from the start after Beo misjudged the power of the crossbow. Her umbrella proved not to be enough to shield her from the projectile, which exploded on impact. The blast not only launched her across the ground, but also sent the handle of her umbrella straight into her injured side. While her ribs had all but healed by now, that area was still very tender, and the sudden shock of the impact had her seeing stars.

The boy picked up on her injury almost immediately, and focused all of his attacks on her side, hoping to force her to withdraw early. Beo went on the defense to give herself time to study him and catch her breath, and it wasn't long before she found the opportunity she was looking for to strike back. She spun around him in a flourish of kicks, punches, and strikes from her umbrella as the boy tried his best to block her. It didn't take much from there to knock his aura to the red and win the match, but she realised after returning to her seat just how much the hit to her side had hurt her. Nothing felt broken, but she didn't doubt another hard hit could be what finally did it.

That left Neptune as the last member of their friend group to go this round, and much to team RWBY and team JNPR's dismay it went exactly as they hoped it wouldn't. The girl he faced fought with a precision rifle that transformed into grizzly looking spear. The fight went normally enough until a major malfunction during a transformation left her weapon in pieces, forcing the match to be called early for Neptune.

"I can't fucking believe him," Yang growled, her eyes a deep red. Ruby cautiously put a hand on her sister's shoulder in an attempt to calm her down, but it was violently shrugged off.

Weiss shook her head, "Yang, you need to calm down. Remember, Professor Ozpin and General Ironwood are watching this as well, along with an entire panel of judges. They know what how to spot people who try to cheat, and if none of them see anything wrong then there's a very slim chance Neptune is actually cheating."

The heiress' argument succeeded in calming Yang for the moment, but only an hour later, just minutes into the last round of matches that day, there wasn't any doubt in Yang's mind that Neptune wasn't fighting fairly. This time his opponent was a boy a few inches taller than himself, fighting with a large sword and shield. The match ended after a blow from Neptune against that shield shattered it and continued to swing through and knock the boy's aura down to the red. There was something very odd about the way it came apart though, at least in Neo's mind. There was no splintered wood or broken metal, just pieces that looked like they could be easily reassembled back into their shape. She turned to her team with a worried expression, "Guys... I think he really is cheating..."

"I TOLD YOU!" Yang yelled, unable to contain herself. "That little fuck has been rigging his matches! That's it, I'm going to Ozpin right now."

Blake sighed, "I think I should come with you, just to make sure to don't kill someone along the way." Yang nodded to her partner and the two got up and left without another word.

Pyrrha shook her head, "I can't believe he'd do something like this... He's a perfectly good fighter, he would've done just fine on his own."

"Just fine doesn't win you first place," Jaune said, glaring at Neptune as he walked out of the arena.

Neo's match followed almost immediately after, and unfortunately for her opponent, the anger toward Neptune carried over to Beo and into the fight. Beo's ferocity was almost frightening, and thankfully the official called the match before she could do any serious damage. Pyrrha, on the other hand, seemed very distracted at the start of her fight. It showed in her performance at first, but all of her years training kicked back in almost immediately, and she was able to win her match without too much effort.

The round concluded, and it suddenly sank in for Neo what she had just accomplished. She turned to Weiss with a massive smile, "Holy shit, I'm in the quarterfinals! I just need to win two more matches to place!"

"I know! I'm so proud of you!" the heiress cheered, having just come to the same realisation herself. She pulled Neo in and gave her a long kiss on the lips, which was only ended because of a tap on her shoulder by Nora. "I know, I know, we need to be discrete. I can't help myself though, I'm just so happy!"

"Don't celebrate too early," Neo said, shifting to a more serious tone. "I still have to win those matches. I'm up against the best of the best now."

Ruby smiled, "Good thing you're the best of the best of the best!" The rest of the group laughed at the comment, and now started to make their way out of the stands. They met up with Blake and Yang outside, who informed them about the talk they'd had with Ozpin.

"He said that he and Ironwood were looking into it," the blonde said, not sounding pleased. "Basically he said that if Neptune is cheating, he did a really good job covering his tracks. Apparently a good enough job to make them both think he's playing fairly."

Neo shook her head, "I still think he's rigging the matches, but if Ozpin didn't think so, I guess we should take his word. I can't see someone like Neptune outsmarting him." Her friends gave a few reluctant nods, and they pushed the subject off to the side.

The teams stayed in town for another few hours to enjoy the festival, get dinner, and eventually watch the sun set near the docks. Ruby yawned wide and stretched after it dipped below the horizon, turning to her team to see if they shared her tiredness. "You guys ready to head back to the room?" she asked.

"I think so," Blake said, yawning herself as she did. "I'm glad we get to sleep in tomorrow, it's much nicer when our days off of school are actually days off."

Yang laughed, "You're not even in the tournament anymore, every day is a day off for you." The comment earned a middle finger from her partner, only making her laugh harder. "But anyway, I'm down for going back too."

Jaune looked over at his own team, who adjusted to be just as ready to go back as team RWBY did. "I guess we'll head back too, not much else to do now that it's dark out," he said. Both teams started in the direction of campus, except for Neo and Weiss, who were still leaning on the dock fence and looking out over the water.

"You guys go ahead," Neo said, turning to Weiss with a smile and taking her hand. "We're gonna go for a quick walk. We won't be long, we just need to talk about a few things."

Ruby shrugged, "Alright, have fun!" She and the others continued toward Beacon while Neo and Weiss began their stroll along the boardwalk.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" Weiss asked, knowing fully what the answer would be.

Neo sighed, "I know we've talked about it before in theory, but if I lose... what do you think will actually happen for us?" The question had been on her mind for some time now, and with only two matches now between her and placing, the pressure she was under was really starting to get to her.

"I... I don't know," Weiss replied. She looked down at her feet as they walked, not wanting to think about the possibility of losing Neo. "I guess we'll have to find some other way... It's so idiotic that we have to do anything in the first place. We all know you've changed, there's no doubt in anyone's mind about it. But the media... Gah! I hate this!"

Neo snickered at the heiress' short outburst, "You say that like I'm enjoying it." Weiss shot her an unamused look, and the two continued walking. "I'm serious though, what if I don't place? There's no way we could hide our relationship for very long, and I know we won't have another opportunity like this. I'm scared I'm gonna fail..."

Weiss stopped, turned with sympathetic eyes to her girlfriend, who looked like she was on the verge of tears. "Neo, there's no way you can fail," she said softly, putting the hand that wasn't intertwined with Neo's on the girl's shoulder. "I know you can do this, you just can't let it get to you. Here, let's talk about what happens if you do win. Or rather, when you win."

"I'm glad you gave so much faith in me," Neo said with a smile, her cheeks turning a light red. "So when I win... I guess the first I'll be doing meeting your family... Oh wait, the dance is even before that. That means we'll be able to go and not have to worry about people seeing us together!"

Weiss blushed as well, getting lost in thoughts of the two of them at the dance, and of things beyond. She let out a content sigh, "Do you ever think about... Oh, I dunno..."

Weiss' hesitation made Neo wonder what could be on the heiress' mind that she wouldn't want to say, and she turned to her girlfriend with an intrigued look. "Go on," Neo said. "Do I ever think about what?"

Weiss' whole face was bright red now, and she turned away to hide it along with her growing smile. "Do you ever think about... if we were... hypothetically, in the future... to get ma..."

She trailed off, and Neo's eyes widened as she realised what Weiss was trying to say. "Married...?" she finished quietly, letting the word sink in. "I... I mean, yeah, I've thought about it before... But..."

They both looked away from each other and down at their feet in embarrassment. '_Married..._' Neo thought. '_It feels so weird to even think about that... I mean, we've only been together for a month, not to mention we're both so young... But still... There's no one in the world I'd rather be with... Me and Weiss, married..._'

She turned back to the heiress and put a hand on the girl's cheek to turn her head. "Some day..." Neo said quietly, pulling Weiss in for a soft kiss. "I love you, Weiss."

"I love you too," she replied, kissing back and not wanting to ever stop. They didn't know how long they stood there, lips locked in a passionate embrace, but sadly the moment had to come to an end. "Well... I guess we should get back to the room. It's getting pretty late, and you need to rest."

The street lights came on to illuminate the boardwalk, casting a warm glow over the couple as they walked home. As they neared the main streets of the city, there was a sudden rustling from a pile of crates outside a shop about twenty yards in front of them. A tiny cat hopped out with a fish in its mouth, laying down as it started to nibble on meal.

"OH MY GOD IT'S SO CUTE!" Neo squealed, rushing forward to see if it would stay to let her pet it. To her disappointment, it took off down the alley beside the building, and she pouted as she turned back around. "Aww... I just wanted to-"

She stopped as she looked back and realised that Weiss was no longer behind her. "Weiss? Where'd you go?" Confused, she spun around to see if the heiress had ran up with her, but she was nowhere in sight. Neo went to call out Weiss' name again, but a sudden sharp pain on the back of her head made her crumple onto the ground before she had the chance.

**Oooo dramatic cliffhanger! Gotta love those! ;) Hope you enjoyed the chapter, I promise it won't be two weeks until the next one is posted. As always, let me know what your have to say in the reviews and follow/favourite to stay updated. See you guys next time!**


	14. Chapter 14: Family Reunion

**For alternate endings, extra one-shots, early chapters, and more, become my Patron at dot com slash Novandalis. (:**

Chapter 14: "Family" Reunion

Neo awoke with a splitting headache and found herself in an unfamiliar dark room. Still a little woozy, she tried to sit up, but fell over after realising her wrists and ankles were bound. The fog in her mind started to clear, and she felt fear begin to creep through her as she took in more of the scene around her. She was in a run down looking office room with a large table in the centre, surrounded by chairs. There were no windows, and only one door on the other side of the room. The only light came from the cracks along the door's frame. There was a whiteboard on one wall, but otherwise the walls were bare. Neo struggled to her knees, straining in the dark to make out anything else the room.

'_Where the hell am I?_' she wondered, trying to remember how she arrived here in the first place. '_Weiss and I were at the docks... Then I saw that cat, and now I'm here. But how did... Wait a minute, where's Weiss?_'

"Weiss...?" she asked weakly, praying she'd get an answer. The room was completely silent, only making her sense of panic that much worse.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and Neo was temporarily blinded by the flood of bright light. Her eyes adjusted, and fell upon the two people she dreaded to see the most. "Hey hey kiddo! Long time, no see!" Roman sang as he strutted in alongside Cinder, spinning his cane around his finger.

"Where's Weiss?" Neo asked, trying to hide the fear in her voice.

Roman cocked his head to the side, "Huh, of all the things you could lead with, that's what you choose? I guess-"

"Enough, Roman," Cinder interrupted, turning to Neo with an evil grin. "The Schnee girl is fine, for now. Depending on how long her father takes to come through with her ransom, that may change."

"DON'T YOU DARE HURT HER!" Neo shrieked, lashing forward only to fall on her face. Roman tried to suppress a laugh, but couldn't hide it. Neo got back to her sitting position, and looked up at Cinder with her most pitiful eyes. "Please don't hurt her..."

Cinder's expression shifted to one much more perplexed. She walked a few steps closer to Neo, and took a seat at one of the chairs around the centre table. "Well, it's good to know your weakness. Anyway, we're in a bit of a strange spot here," she said, tapping her fingers repeatedly on the desk. "I suppose I should start by apologizing for my behaviour the night you left. I lost my temper, and I regret throwing you out like that. I had every intention of finding you the next day to bring you back, but you were so quick to join up with the goodie goodies at Beacon that I didn't have the chance."

"But, now you're here," Roman said happy, sitting down next to Cinder and taking a few puffs from his cigar before continuing. "So, here's the offer we're making you: You come back on as my bodyguard, no hard feelings or anything like that, and we'll let your girl go right now. Whatdya say?"

Neo went to spit a venomous "no" in response, but to her own surprise, she hesitated. '_Wait, am I actually considering it?_' she thought incredulously. '_No, I couldn't... Could I? I'd be leaving everyone behind, letting everyone down, but... I'd be going back to the life I've always known, always loved. Love... No, I can't go back. I could never leave Weiss, never._'

Roman began to impatiently tap his feet, "C'mon kiddo, we haven't got all day."

"No," Neo said flatly, glaring up at her former employer. "I'll never come back to work for you." Roman rolled his eyes and groaned, leaning back in his chair as he did. Cinder only shook her head.

"Too bad," she said, standing up and moving to the door with Roman getting up as well to follow her out. "We really could've used you to help finish the operation. Oh well, I suppose you can't have everything."

Neo looked confused, "What do you mean? I thought Ironwood raided the warehouse and got all the dust and weapons back. Didn't he arrest that Adam guy too?"

"You didn't think we kept everything there, did you?" Roman asked rhetorically, grinning widely. "Especially after you left, we knew it was only a matter of time before you'd send that military our way, so we had to move. Take a guess at where we are now... That's right, warehouse number two! The operation is still a go, and unfortunately for you, you won't be on the better side of it."

With that he and Cinder left, closing and locking the door behind them. "Wait, come back!" Neo cried out. There was no response from outside, and she sank to the floor as what was happening fully sank in.

'_No no no, this can't be real,_' she thought, squeezing her eyes shut in the desperate hope that she'd wake up in her bed when they opened again. '_I have to do something, I have to get out of here. But how?_' Her eyes darted around the room, looking for anything she could use to cut her bonds. There were no scissors, knives, broken glass, not even a sharp edge of the table she could attempt to use.

Feeling utterly powerless, she couldn't stop herself as tears started to make their way down her cheeks. There was no clock in the room, and she didn't know how long she had been there crying before a distinct scream of pain pierced the walls of her prison from somewhere else in the compound. Her eyes shot open, and her heart sank. It was Weiss, and there was nothing she could do to stop whatever was happening to her. The wail came again, louder than before, and Neo returned to her knees as a fire began to grow inside her. The transition came over her almost instantly, and she didn't fight it. Beo was in control now, and she wanted blood.

She knocked over one of the chairs, exposing a rougher part of the plastic connecting the base to the wheels. Using it like sandpaper, she vigorously sawed the rope binding her hands against it, eventually making her way through and allowing her to get to the knots that kept her feet together. Weiss' anguished cries continued, cutting into Beo's heart every time she heard them and quickening the pace she attempted to free herself at.

Now finally free of her bonds, she set her eyes on the door. She tried the handle to no avail, not that she expected that to have worked in the first place. She took a few steps back before charging forward and throwing her weight against the door, shoulder first. It bowed slightly, but didn't give. Undeterred, she tried again, but still the door didn't budge. Another few attempts left her out of breath and clutching her shoulder in pain, but she refused to give up.

She stood propped against the door rethinking her strategy when it suddenly opened. A large Faunus stood in the doorway, and he grabbed her by the throat before hurling her across the room. She landed halfway down the length of the table, sliding the rest of the way and falling through the chairs at the other end. She hit her head on the hard floor as she came to a stop, causing stars to flood her vision before it faded to black.

When Neo woke up, she found herself bound more tightly than before, the rope on her hands also preventing her from using her thumbs and index fingers. Looking around, she realised the room had changed as well. The table, chairs, and even the whiteboard had been taken away. She was now left laying in the middle of a completely barren room, with absolutely nothing she use to escape. She also no longer heard her girlfriend's cries, which came as both a relief and a worry. She was relieved that she was no longer being harmed, but felt sick at thinking of how long the torture had gone on for.

A half hour or so passed after she woke up, although Neo couldn't be sure, before she heard someone outside fumbling with the lock. The door opened, and in walked Emerald with a brown paper bag. "Here," she said, emptying its contents out in front of Neo. There was a bottle of water, a bag of chips, and a wrapped sandwich.

"How am I supposed to open any of this?" Neo asked, gesturing to her bindings.

Emerald shrugged, "Not my problem."

She turned and started out the door, but Neo called after her. "Emerald, wait!"

"What now?" she asked angrily, pausing in the doorway. Neo looked down at the floor, sniffing as her tears from before started to make their way back to the surface.

"Please... don't let them hurt Weiss," she begged, not caring how pitiful she sounded. "I know we might be enemies now, but after all we've been through together, please do this for me. I can't stand the thought of something happening you her. Please, please don't let them."

She looked up through watery eyes, and saw Emerald staring back at her with a very torn expression. "It's not that simple," she replied, taking a step back into the room. "You know how this goes with ransoms."

Neo shook her head, "I know, I know, but can you at least try? I swear, I'll do anything you want if it means she's okay."

"Anything, huh?" Emerald asked with an evil smile. She sat down in front of Neo, eyes pointed up at the ceiling while she took a moment to consider Neo's offer. "I bet Cinder would be very interested to know you said that."

Neo scowled, "Go ahead, tell her. I hope she takes me up on it too, because I mean it. As long as Weiss is safe, I don't care happens to me."

Now Emerald's expression shifted to one more confused then anything else. "You really do mean it, don't you?" she asked, amazed at how different the girl in front of her was from the one she'd known a few months prior.

Neo nodded, "I do. I love her, more than anything, and I'd do whatever it takes to keep her safe." She was surprised to see how conflicted Emerald looked now. In truth, Neo hadn't even expected her to have listened this far, let alone actually consider her request.

Emerald sat in silence for a moment before continuing. "I... I can try. But I don't think Cinder will be too keen on listening," she said, shaking her head. She paused to think again before letting out a muffled yell in frustration. "Gah! Damn it Neo, why'd you have to join them? Cinder was going to take you back, you should've known that! You didn't even wait either, you went straight to them! Why?"

Neo couldn't help but smile, "Well... I didn't really choose to be honest, they sort of chose me." The look Emerald gave her made it clear she needed to explain more, and she started to laugh as she began her tale. "I ran into Yang and Blake on the street the day after I was thrown out. After I told them what happened, they brought me back to Professor Ozpin to see if he'd know what to do with me. I expected him to have me arrested, but instead he offered me a place at Beacon. It's weird, even though all I'd ever known up until then was this life with you guys, Beacon instantly felt like home. I felt like what I was doing had meaning, and that's when I knew I really wanted to change. And then..."

Neo trailed off as a wide smile started to cross her face. Emerald shifted her position on the floor, seeming eager to hear the next part of the story. "And then what?" she asked.

Neo's smile only grew wider, "And then I met Weiss. And after we became a couple, I knew that no matter I do in life, whatever happens, wherever I go, I want it to be with her. I could never leave her. I'll be honest, when Roman offered to bring me back on, I had to think about it. I'm ashamed I had to, but I did. What kept me from saying yes more than anything else was the thought of leaving Weiss behind, and I couldn't do that. She's everything to me."

"Wow..." was all Emerald could say. "I've gotta say, I never thought I'd see you like this. You really have changed, but... in a good way. I-I'm glad you found somewhere you're happy."

Neo gave her a confused look, "Umm... Thanks? I don't understand, you're not angry I didn't want to come back?"

"Not at all," Emerald replied. She stood up and walked over to the door, turning back you Neo once she was in the doorway. "I'll see what I can do," she said with a small smile before closing the door.

'_That was... weird,_' Neo thought. '_I didn't think she'd actually agree to try. And she's not bothered that I refused Roman's offer? And what the hell was with that being happy for me thing? She must be up to something._'

She sighed and looked back down to the lunch she'd been brought. At least, she assumed it was around lunchtime. She was prepared to try to bite through the plastic bottle cap, but stopped in confusion when she laid eyes on the food. The bottle had been opened, the bag of chips as well, and the sandwich was unwrapped.

'_Wait... did Emerald do that?_' Neo wondered. '_I guess she must've done it while I was talking. But, why?_' The question hovered around in her mind for a few minutes, but she couldn't come up with a reasonable answer. Shrugging it off for now, she went to work on her lunch, suddenly realising how hungry she was. Her bindings still made it difficult to eat, but she managed to get through without spilling too much on the floor.

It felt like hours until her cell was visited again, but in reality it was probably something closer to forty-five minutes. She tried to get some sleep during that time since there wasn't much else to do, but her anxiety surrounding Weiss prevented her. The door eventually opened and in walked Cinder with her usual self-assured strut. She gave a mocking bow, "Good afternoon."

Neo wasn't amused. "What do you want?" she snapped, sitting up to address her captor. Cinder sighed and shook her head.

"So rude. Didn't I teach you any manners?" she asked, receiving a scowl from Neo in response. "I see you're not in a joking mood, oh well. Anyway, you may be glad to know that the Schnee girl's ransom has been agreed to be paid. Her father also offered to pay for your safe release, which I find rather... intriguing. We have a meeting scheduled tonight for both of your releases, and I have a feeling it's going to go rather well."

"Yeah, for us," Neo smirked. "Ironwood is going to bring every soldier he has to take you down."

Cinder gasped, acting as though she hadn't considered that. "Oh no! You're right, everything is ruined!" she said, pretending to panic. Returning to her normal composure, she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "I know he will, and that's exactly what I want. Anyway, that leaves the matter of what to actually do with you and Miss Schnee. My initial thought was just to kill the both of you right now she be done with it, but I feel like I still owe you something for all the years you've been in my service. So, I'll grant you a last request of sorts. Choose wisely."

Neo was shocked to hear that whatever Cinder was planning was so close to coming to fruition. Overshadowing that was the thought of how to escape, with the need to being far more dire now than before. She took a moment to try to come up with a plan, making it look as if it were her decision of what to ask for that was occupying her thoughts. Of course, she knew exactly what she wanted, but needed to buy herself as much time as possible to try to figure a way out.

"I want to see Weiss," she finally said. "Until it's time to... you know... I want to be with her."

Cinder shrugged, "Alright, I'll let you have some alone time with your girl." She turned and left the room, returning a few minutes later with a number of guards. "You kids have fun," she said with a wink before stepping to the side. From behind her, two of the guards came forward with Weiss and tossed her through the doorway. She landed awkwardly a few feet in front of Neo, who rushed to her side as the door was shut and locked.

"Weiss? Weiss, are you alright?" Neo asked, her voice very weak as she looked over the heiress. The girl's clothes were covered in cuts that extended down into the skin beneath them. There were blood stains everywhere, and Neo couldn't stop a pair of tears from coming to her eyes after seeing what Weiss had been through.

Weiss sat up slowly, every movement seeming to cause her pain. "I'm... I'm fine," she said, although her tone and actions weren't very convincing. "It's alright though, my father negotiated our release, we're meeting him tonight to-"

"No we're not," Neo interrupted, shaking her head as she did. "Cinder told me that she's... getting rid of us before then. Whatever she's been planning, this meeting is part of it. She knows Ironwood will be there with the entirety of his military force, and I'm guessing that's when her plan gets put into action."

Weiss stared at Neo in disbelief, but knew she wasn't lying. "So... what do we do?" she asked. "We have to stop her somehow, or at least get out of here so we can warn someone."

"I know, I'm trying to think of a way we can do that, but I've got nothing. I can't use my hands at all with the way these ropes are tied, can you?"

Weiss shook her head, pulling her own hands up so Neo could see that they were bound in the same way. "There's nothing in here we can use?" she asked, looking around to see if there was anything laying around.

"No, after I broke out the first time they stripped this room completely," Neo replied. She groaned and tilted her head back, staring up at the ceiling while she tried to think of another solution, when something caught her eye. "Wait, the lights! They didn't take the bulbs out, maybe we could break them and cut the ropes like that. We need to be quick though, I don't know how long we've got."

They inched their way over to the walls so they could get to their feet, and used each other as support as they hopped underneath the nearest bulb. Neo wasn't tall enough to reach, even when she jumped, which left the job to Weiss. Even then, the heiress wasn't that much taller, and it wasn't long before they were forced to abandon that idea. Now back to square one, they tried brainstorming more ideas, but being devoid of anything they could potentially use, it didn't take long before they both reached the same concussion.

"What about your semblance?" Weiss asked. "Can't you teleport us both through the door?"

Neo shook her head, "No, I have to be able to see where I'll end up. Even then, I can't get very far with another person."

"Well... what about... Fuck!" Weiss stared down at her feet for a few moments, a look of despair coming over her. "We're not getting out of this... are we?" she asked, hoping that Neo still had some trick up her sleeve that she wasn't aware of.

"Weiss..." Neo said faintly, trying her best to stay together. She shook her head and sat down on the floor, with Weiss doing the same. "I-I don't think we are..."

Neither one knew what to say next, and so they sat in the most painful silence they'd ever had for what seemed like an eternity. Weiss let out a long, shaky breath before she finally spoke. "N-Neo... I love you. In case we really d-don't make it out, I want you to know that you're the greatest thing that's ever happened to me, and I love you more than I ever thought possible."

"I love you too," Neo smiled, wiping away a few tears on her sleeve. "If it weren't for you, I don't think I could've changed as much as I have. I can't think of anyone I'd rather be with at the end..."

She trailed off as what she was saying really sunk in, and they both went quiet again. Without anything else to say, Neo leant in as planted a gentle kiss on Weiss' lips. The heiress kissed her back, putting her arms over Neo's head to keep them from separating. The embrace grew more passionate and more intense with each passing second, until the sound of someone unlocking the door made them both freeze in fear. They slowly turned their heads as the door opened and in walked Emerald. She shut the door behind her, and reached for one of her guns without saying a word.

"Emerald..." Neo said in both disbelief and fear, trying to crawl away as the green-haired girl walked directly toward her. "P-Please, no, not you. Don't do this, you-"

"Shhh..." Emerald interrupted, putting a finger to her lips as she extended the blade of her gun. "Just relax."

Neo stared in horror at the blade as it moved toward her. She tightly shut her eyes as tears began to pour down her face, unable to keep herself together any longer. She heard the sound of the blade slicing through something, but was surprised not to have felt any pain. Cautiously, she opened her eyes to see Emerald looking back at her with an amused smile. Confused, Neo looked down to see what had been cut, and her mouth dropped open she she saw that it was the bindings on her hands.

"I thought a lot about what you told me," Emerald said, making another quick cut on the ropes holding Neo's feet together before moving to do the same to Weiss. "After everything you said about being at home, and having a purpose for what you do... I realised I want that. What we do here is fun and all, but it's so... empty."

Neo and Weiss got to their feet, immediately pulling each other into a hug as they did. Neo smiled and turned to Emerald as they broke the embrace, "Are you saying... you want to come back to Beacon with us?"

Emerald nodded, "I do. I know I won't get the same welcome that you did, but I want to try. Now come on, we don't have long before Cinder realises something's up."

"Hang on a minute," Weiss said with a sceptical expression, looking Emerald up and down. Neo wasn't exactly sure what the heiress intended to say, but didn't think it would be anything good. "First off, when you come to rescue someone, you tell them so BEFORE you walk up to them with your weapon drawn. Second, I can't believe you even have the nerve to come in here and expect me to suddenly forgive you after you stood by and WATCHED during that call to my father. AND THIRD-"

"Not so loud!" Emerald hissed, rushing forward to cover Weiss' mouth with her hands. She looked back through the door to see if anyone had heard, and gave a sigh of relief that they hadn't. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? We can sort this out later, but we need to get moving, right now."

"She's right, we need to go," Neo said, walking up behind Weiss and putting a hand on her shoulder. "And we can trust her. Don't forget how you acted toward me when we first met. You gave me a chance, and I'd say it's turned out pretty well so far."

Weiss sighed, but couldn't deny that Neo was was right. "Fine," she said, extending a hand to Emerald. "Get us out of here in one piece, and I'll consider us even."

"Deal," Emerald happily replied, shaking the heiress' hand. "Come on, let's go get your stuff, it's in a storeroom a few halls down. Just one thing first."

She aimed her gun at the far wall and fired two shots in quick succession. Weiss jumped, not expecting the sudden action, and looked at Emerald as if she'd lost her mind. "Now she'll think it's done," Neo said, making the connection in her head.

"That's right," Emerald replied. She put her gun back in its holster and moved over to the door to peek outside. "Okay, coast is clear. I don't know when someone will come for your 'bodies,' so I don't know how big of a window we have to get out of here. They're in finally preparations right now, so hopefully it'll be a while."

"What exactly is she planning to do?" Neo asked as they started down the hall will Emerald in the lead.

She shrugged, "I'm not entirely sure. After the original plan was scrapped Cinder wouldn't tell anyone anything, especially me and Mercury. More as a precaution than anything, but I guess it worked out since I can't tell you."

"I guess we'll just have to stop her before she can go through with it then," Neo said, grinning wickedly at the thought of getting revenge. They arrived at the storeroom, and Emerald went in first to check that it was empty. She motioned for Weiss and Neo to come, and tossed them their weapons and gear as they came inside.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Emerald said in response to Neo's earlier comment. "There are well over two hundred armed guards here along with Cinder, Roman, and Mercury. There's no way we'd-"

She was cut off by a sudden, ear-splitting siren that rang out through the room and down the halls. Emerald froze, and Neo knew something had gone wrong. "What's going on?" she asked, but she already knew the answer.

"They know," she said quickly before scrambling to close the door. "Fuck, we need to hide. Um... quick, get up in the air vent. It won't be long before they find us here."

Neo and Weiss ran to the wall without hesitation and ripped off the cover to the ducts. They crawled inside one at a time, with Emerald coming in last and replacing the cover to hide where they'd gone. She very carefully led them through the maze of ductwork, making sure to remain completely still when she heard the rooms below them being searched. They eventually came out in the basement, since all other paths they'd found had been blocked. It was very dark, which made finding their way around without falling over things very difficult, but would also help to hide them if a search party came down to look for them.

"What is all this?" Weiss asked as they weaved around stacks of crates and boxes.

"Lots of stolen goodies," Emerald replied. "Jewellery, clothes, whatever we could get our hands on when we were bored."

"Ooo speaking of which," Neo said more excitedly than she would've liked, a basket of rings catching her attention off to the side. "I might have to take one of these for myself, it's not like anyone else is gonna use them." She reached into the basket and pulled out one of the nicer rings, marvelling at the diamonds that covered it. Acting nonchalant, she slid it on her finger and put another just like it into her back pocket.

Weiss huffed and went to make a snappy comment, but tripped over something very heavy before she had the chance. She fell forward and through a tall pile of boxes, which Neo guessed were filled with dishes and silverware based on the sounds they made when they shattered on the floor. The noise echoed through the quiet room, and both Neo and Emerald froze as they heard voices coming from the stairwell leading down to them. Neo immediately ran over to help Weiss up and make sure she was alright, while Emerald's eyes darted around in the dark for anything they could use to hide.

"Over here," she said, motioning to a fairly large wooden crate with an open top. Thinking quickly, Neo went to another, smaller crate with a similar width, and brought it over to cover them as they all leapt inside.

The lights came on only seconds after they'd gotten situated and now they kept as still as possible, holding their breaths and hoping they wouldn't be discovered. Neo and Weiss held each other's hand the entire time, their grip tightening whenever someone came near them.

"There's nothing here," one of the men said after ten minutes of searching. "Avus, Joric, stay at the top of the stairs just in case. There's no other way out from down here." They filed back up the stairs, and the girls waited another few minutes afterwards to make sure it was safe before coming back out. Very carefully, they moved the top box and set it down where they'd found it.

After first checking that no guards had stayed down, Emerald then moved over to the base of the stairwell. She peeked around the corner to see if the guards were still stationed at the top. "Shit..." she said under her breath, turning to Neo and Weiss with worry in her eyes. "Guys, we might be in trouble."

"As in we weren't before?" Neo asked sarcastically. Weiss rolled her eyes and gave Neo a light slap on the arm. "Ow, hey!"

The heiress sighed, "I know you're trying to help, but this isn't the time for jokes. Emerald, how many guards did you say there are? Two hundred?" Emerald nodded, and Weiss took a moment to think. "Okay... Two hundred guards, Mercury, Roman, and Cinder against the three of us... I don't think we have much of a chance. Is there another way out from down here?"

Emerald shook her head, "Apart from the way we came, no. I'm trying to think, the closest way out is probably taking a right from the top of the stairs and following that hallway to the cafeteria and out the exit there. But I don't think we can just leave, we need to stop Cinder before she can get the operation underway. Any ideas?"

There was a short pause, and Neo was the first to come up with a plan she thought would work. "Well... Roman said this is the second warehouse, so there's a ton of dust here, right?" she asked, looking to Emerald who nodded back at her. "Perfect. Is there a way we could set off a container full of red dust crystals? The blast would completely level this place."

"And everything inside it," Weiss added in an uneasy tone. "We could do it, but I don't know if we could get out in time. Unless of course there's something stashed away down here we can use as a remote trigger."

Emerald shrugged, "It's possible, but I doubt it. I can't speak for Mercury, but I always went after more expensive stuff rather than toys and gadgets. But he is a boy, so you never know."

"Joking aside, let's see if we can find something," Weiss said before she very carefully started to open up boxes and look at what they contained.

"Oh sure, it's fine when she does it," Neo grumbled, but got to work looking for something to use as a trigger. After twenty minutes of neither finding anything, or making any headway through the sea of boxes, the girls came back together to think of a new plan. Neo shook her head, "I think we're just gonna have to wing it."

Emerald reluctantly agreed, and they turned to Weiss to get her input. The heiress wore a very troubled expression. "There has to be a better way," she said, not sounding confident about the chosen plan of action. "It's too risky. If we just make a break for it, we'll be out before they know it and then we can warn Ironwood. If he's ready for it he'll be able to handle it, there's no need to try something this crazy."

"Weiss, Cinder was making final preparations an hour ago," Emerald said. She took another quick look up the stairs to confirm they hadn't been heard before continuing. "Whatever she's doing, we haven't got long before it starts. We need to stop her, now."

"She's right," Neo said, putting her hands on Weiss' shoulders and turning her so they faced each other. "We'll be alright, I promise, and I haven't broken a promise yet."

Weiss gave an uneasy smile, but still wasn't convinced. She let out a heavy sigh, "And what if this is where that record ends? I can't lose you Neo, I just can't." She sat down on one of the crates and rested her head in her hands, trying to keep thoughts of what could go wrong from entering her mind. Neo looked away for a moment in thought before sitting down beside her and taking her hand.

"Weiss, I've thought way too much today about what I'd do without you," Neo said shakily, pausing for a few deep breaths before she went on. "I know we've only known each other for just over a month, but I've known from the start that there's no one in this world I'd rather be with than you. I've done a lot of thinking about life, about us, and I realised that for me, there is no life without you. I'll never leave your side until the day I die, be it today, tomorrow, or sixty years from now. And even then, I'd like to see death have the balls to try to stop me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, through whatever life manages to throw at us. I love you..."

Neo trailed off and slowly got up from her seat, but didn't let go of Weiss' hand. The heiress gave her a confused look, which slowly turned to awe as she watched Neo get down on one knee in front of her. Neo then reached behind her and pulled out the other ring she'd taken earlier, blushing as she extended it toward her girlfriend. She took one final deep breath, "Weiss Schnee... will you marry me?"

**Okay, so before you grab your pitchforks and torches, just trust me that I've got a plan in mind with this. I wouldn't write in something as big as an engagement without a reason. Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter, see you guys next time. :)**


	15. Chapter 15: Bloody Engagement

Chapter 15: Bloody Engagement

Time seemed to stand still as Neo anxiously awaited an answer to her question. Not just any question, the biggest question she'd ever asked. Memories came back to her of having these same feelings when she'd asked Weiss to be her girlfriend, but the intensity of those feelings now dwarfed what they were then. It was true that asking her then was a huge step, not knowing whether Weiss even liked her or whether she would want to date another woman, but this was an even greater step, the greatest step even. She wasn't asking Weiss to be her girlfriend, she was asking her to be her wife.

Weiss sat in a sort of stunned awe as Neo's proposal sank in. There was a very minor moment hesitation since they were both only seventeen, but she then remembered they would both turn of age tomorrow. She wanted nothing more than to scream with delight, but knew she had to hold back for fear of being heard. Her hands flew to cover her mouth and muffle the sounds of joy that were escaping. She waited until she felt she had regained enough composure to speak at safe volume. During that time, every passing second was more excruciating than the last to Neo as she waited until Weiss finally pulled her hands away from her mouth.

"Yes," the heiress said breathlessly, a smile growing on her face bigger than any Neo had seen before. "Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!"

Neo immediacy leapt up and pulled Weiss into a hug, overcome by feelings of pure happiness and joy. She couldn't find the words to adequately express how she felt, and so she let her lips do the job of conveying her emotions. She slid the ring onto Weiss' finger, placing her own hands next to it and giggling at the look of the matching rings side by side. The two sat smiling at each other for another few moments, both too excited and giddy to know what to say or how to act. Eventually Emerald cleared her throat, bringing the couple back to the reality of where they were.

"I couldn't be happier for the two of you, but we still have a job to do," she said, hating to be the one to ruin the moment.

"R-Right," Neo giggled, still too elated to function normally. She stood up slowly, wobbling a bit before shaking her head a few times to get herself back into the mindset needed to escape. "Okay, so the plan is to find a big enough container of red dust to set off, and hope we can get out beforehand. Emerald, you'll be leading the way."

Emerald nodded, "Can do. What're we doing about getting there? Do you want to try being stealthy and taking the vents, or just run in guns blazing?"

"I'm partial to the second option," Neo replied with a grin, helping Weiss to her feet and looking to her for more input. "What do you think?"

The heiress shrugged, "I don't think we have much of a choice apart from fighting our way there. Let's just hope we don't run into anyone besides the guards on our way."

Neo and Emerald nodded, and readied themselves to make a break for it. The three girls crept over to and up the stairs, wanting to have as much time as possible before they were noticed. The alarm was still sounding upstairs, and guards continued to run down the halls in search of them. The trio took a deep breath once they reached the top of the stairs. Weiss looked to Neo for the signal to run, as did Emerald, so she watched and waited for the right opportunity. Finally, she saw it.

"Go!" she yelled, rushing through the doorway. Beo took control rather quickly now, and smiled as she locked on to her prey. She grappled one of the guards stationed outside and flung him into the other before contributing forward. She looked down the halls before turning back to the others. "Shit, Emerald, you're in the lead. Where're we going?"

"This way, let's go!"

She led them to the right before making a sharp left turn down a very long hallway. Guards began to pour in from every direction, but even in the numbers they came in they were no match for the girls. The trio fought their way down the hall without too much trouble, and by the time they reached the opposite end of the hallway the guards had seemed to stop coming for them.

"Where'd they all go?" Weiss asked.

Emerald shrugged, "I dunno, but I have a feeling we'll see them again soon."

They reached the end of the hall and made a left, and immediately came to a stop when they saw a silver-haired boy standing about twenty feet in front of them in the middle of the hallway. He went to say something, but stopped when he saw Emerald leading the three. He looked confused, and took another moment before speaking. "Emerald... what're you doing?" he asked like you would a small child who'd been caught writing on the walls.

She glared at him, "Get out of here, Mercury. I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to."

"Hurt me?" he chuckled, raising an eyebrow at her unexpected response. He looked over Beo and Weiss before turning back to Emerald with a sigh. "First Neo, now you? I suppose you'll be trying to recruit me now too, huh?"

"Not likely. Come on guys, we need to keep moving. Mercury, stay out of our way."

He grinned, "We both know that's not going to happen." He took up his combat stance, and Emerald did the same shortly after. Beo and Weiss did as well, but Emerald held out an arm to keep them from rushing past her too quickly.

"You guys run ahead, I'll take care of him. Take the next right, then immediately left. Wait until I say so." They nodded, and she lowered her arm back into her stance. The four stood of them still for a few seconds before Mercury decided it was time to charge. "Now!"

Weiss and Beo ran forward, ducking down as Mercury leapt over them to engage his former partner. Beo looked back as she rounded the corner to see Emerald appear to be winning the fight. She remembered back to when the three of them would spar together, and Emerald always had a strong start, but Mercury had a way of coming back in the end. She shook her head and continued to run beside Weiss, following the directions they'd been given until they arrived on a walkway two stories above a massive storage room.

Below them were easily fifty shipping containers full of stolen Dust and weapons. Not only that, but all the guards at the complex seemed to be waiting for them here as well. Beo started to survey the expansive area for a container carrying red Dust, but unfortunately none of them were marked to show what their contents were. A sudden spray of bullets coming from below pulled her from her search. She and Weiss followed the stairs down to the door while blocking the incoming fire with their umbrella and glyphs, and now had to find a suitable container for their plan amid the chaos.

The guards began to converge on their position, but the duo had more than enough experience fighting together to hold them off. After a few minutes of being swarmed, the two stood victorious in the middle of a sea of bloody bodies, the blood being mostly thanks to Beo. As they moved to resume their search, one of the double doors behind them that connected to the centre of the complex flew open as Cinder stormed through, accompanied by Roman.

"ENOUGH!" she screamed, her eyes glowing menacingly. "I will not have you destroy everything I've planned!"

With another loud cry in rage, she launched a flurry of fire toward Beo and Weiss, who barely had enough time to react and dodge. Roman added on with a series of shots from his cane, which again were avoided, but only just. Weiss readied herself to make a series of glyphs to fight back, but a pillar of fire summoned underneath her feet forced her to stop and leap away. She and Beo took cover behind two separate crates, and were forced to think of a different way to fight back. Cinder was incredibly powerful, and Beo knew that with so much raw Dust in this room at Cinder's disposal, she and Weiss were in for a very difficult fight.

"Weiss, we need to split them up," Beo called out. "I'll take Cinder, you take Roman."

Weiss shook her head, "No, Cinder's mine."

Beo hesitated, wanting nothing more than to take revenge, but couldn't deny Weiss deserved it more. She nodded, and the two charged out to meet their enemies one on one. Cinder sent another fireball at the two, which Beo blocked with her extended umbrella. Weiss jumped over her and through the smoke from the blast and caught Cinder by surprise with her sudden attack. Beo ran past them and to Roman, preventing him from getting a shot off at Weiss.

"Oh, come on kiddo," he laughed, giving his cane a quick twirl around his finger. "You really think you can take me?"

Beo smirked, "I wouldn't have had to protect you if you could handle yourself, now would I?"

She leapt forward and directed a punch at his left temple, and was taken by surprise when he not only blocked the strike but also countered it. She was whipped over his head and brought down on a wooden crate, crashing through it and finally landing on the stack of guns inside. The stock of one jammed into her right side, reawakening the injury that by now had almost completely healed. She rolled off the pile, clutching her side in pain as she returned to her feet. Roman picked up on this very quickly, and grinned as he walked toward her.

"What's the matter?" he mocked. "Looks like this will be a lot easier than I thought."

Now he took the offensive, sending a quick series of punches, kicks, and swings from his cane at Beo, specifically aiming for her side. Normally she would have had no trouble fighting off someone like Roman, as she was right about being more skilled than him, but the sudden reawakening of her injury made it increasingly difficult. The placement of his strikes forced her to block in ways that only continued to stress her side, and it wasn't long before she couldn't keep holding him back.

He landed a hard kick to her side, sending her to the ground with a loud cry as she both heard and felt a sickening crack from her ribs. The pain in her side was almost unbearable. Her vision blurred, and she felt like she was going to throw up. Roman was still wearing his evil grin as he leant on his cane, letting Beo lay in agony for a short time before taking a step forward and aiming the barrel of his cane at her.

"Well, it's been fun, kid," he taunted, giving a wave goodbye with his free hand. "But, this is where we part ways for good. Don't worry though, you'll have your girlfriend to keep you company soon enough."

He fired a shot that stuck Beo square in the chest, exploding and making her seem to shatter into a thousand tiny shards of glass. Roman's eyes widened as he realised it had been an illusion, and spun around to see Beo behind him, her sword drawn and poised to strike. He attempted to pull his cane up to block her blade, but was too late. The blade pierced clean through his lower chest, and he stared down at it with a look of confusion and bewilderment. Beo pulled out the blade, staggering as she did from the pain in her side. Roman collapsed to his knees, turning his gaze up to Beo as his eyes began to glaze over.

"Nobody touches my fiancee but me," she said coldly. Roman grinned and gave a pained laugh before falling limp on his side, a pool of blood starting to form around him.

Beo stared for a few seconds before sudden explosion made her spin around to see what was happening between Weiss and Cinder. Weiss was soaring through the air, away from a cloud of smoke and fire. She made a glyph under her feet to jump off of, but a sudden blast of fire sent her flying again, coming down hard beside one of the large shipping containers. Cinder smiled when Weiss didn't get up and took a few steps toward the her, but froze when she saw the result of Beo's fight with Roman out of the corner of her eye. Her mouth dropped open and now she set her sights on Beo, fire erupting from her pupils. She too caught on very quickly to Beo's injury as the girl painfully attempted to get to cover, and couldn't suppress an evil laugh before turning back to a more serious and threatening tone.

"That's it, Neo," she growled, flames seeming to shroud her face. She summoned a small plume of fire in her hand, playing with its shape as she walked closer. "I've shown you mercy, but not anymore. When I'm finished here, you will beg me for death. And I promise that when I finally kill you, you will-"

"Hey!" a voice called out from the walkway above. Cinder looked up to see Emerald jumping down between her and Beo, her outfit looking somewhat tattered, and Beo smiled at both the assumed victory over Mercury and the timely rescue. "Not if I have anything to say about it," Emerald spat, her eyes showing the same ferocity minus the actual fire.

The flame in Cinder's eyes intensified, as did the fire in her palm. "Very well," she said through gritted teeth. "Then you'll die too."

She pulled her arms into her chest, a tall circle of fire forming around her. With a yell, she extended her arms toward the girls, sending a wave of flames forward that threw Emerald back against the wall. Beo was also sent tumbling along the floor, making her scream in pain as her ribs took several hits against the concrete floor. Emerald quickly recovered and fired half a clip from each gun back, but Cinder used to aura to easily block them. Emerald's eyes narrowed, and now she sent the chained blades of her guns forward, which Cinder again dodged with a graceful flip backwards. She smiled and opened large container of Dust beside her, letting a massive amount of red Dust crystals pour out at her feet.

"I've never tried to use this much Dust before. Let's see if there are even ashes left by the time I'm finished with you," she said with an evil smile, lifting her arms as the crystals began to glow and swirl around her.

Emerald tried firing at her again, but the rounds melted and fell to the ground before they could reach. Cinder laughed maniacally and unleashed a rain of fire down on the girls, which they barely managed to get to cover to avoid. The flames licked at their feet, singeing their boots and the bottoms of Beo's pants. She struggled to look over the crate they was hidden behind, and saw Cinder slowly strutting over from the middle of a tempest of fire. Her eyes moved to where Weiss had been laying, but the heiress was no longer laying there. She turned to Emerald in a slight panic to ask if she'd seen where Weiss had gone, and was relieved to see the heiress had snuck around to join them.

"Weiss, are you alright?" she asked, instantly doubling over in pain from taking a quick breath afterward.

Both Emerald and Weiss came to her side, helping her get to a more comfortable position on the ground. "I'm fine, it's you I'm worried about," the heiress replied.

Emerald cautiously looked over their cover at Cinder, and quickly ducked back down as a bolt of fire soared over her head. "We need to move, she's almost here."

Weiss turned to Beo with a worried look, "Can you walk?" Beo shook her head. The pain in her side was radiating through her entire body, and grew stronger with every breath she took. She wasn't coughing up blood though, or coughing at all for that matter, which meant it was unlikely her broken rib had punctured a lung. Weiss turned to Emerald, "We need to move her. Be gentle, I'll carry her back, you take her legs."

With extreme care, they picked Beo up and swiftly moved behind the cover of shipping crates to the other side of the room. They set her down and looked back to see if Cinder had seen them, but it looked like they'd avoided her. "Come out, come out wherever you are," she called out from somewhere across the way.

The girls could hear blasts of fire coming from all over the warehouse, and knew they didn't have long before she would either find them or incinerate them.

"If she keeps lighting the place up like this, she'll set off one of the crates eventually," Emerald said optimistically. "Should we just make a break for it?"

Weiss shook her head, "No, she won't be able to set them off with her fire alone, these kinds of crystals need a bigger shock to be set off. Your gun won't be enough either, we need an explosive of some sort. Is there anything around here we can use?"

Emerald rolled her eyes before kicking in the front of a crate to Weiss' left. A pile of hand grenades poured out, and Emerald gave a smug smile, "Smuggling weapons, remember? Think these will do?"

Weiss gave an unamused look and nodded, "Yeah, now we just need to find a way out before it goes off. Any ideas?"

During the time they had been talking, Beo had been pondering that very question. Her injury meant that simply running wasn't an option, at least not for her. There were no vehicles in sight that that hadn't been destroyed in Cinder's rage, so that option was out as well. Beo's eyes eventually glanced over the skylights in the ceiling, and a plan started to form in her mind after focusing in on one that was cracked open.

"Guys, I-I've got an idea," she said raggedly. Every breath was painful, but she still had to speak. "Th-Throw a grenade, then take m-my hands. I can get us out. H-Hurry!"

Emerald didn't hesitate, grabbing a grenade and jumping up on top of the container they were hidden behind. She pulled the pin and threw it as hard as she could, landing right beside the exposed pile of red Dust. Cinder saw all of this happen and sent a massive fireball at Emerald, who leapt back down to safety as it soared overhead and created a large, smouldering home in the wall. She and Weiss took Beo's hands and closed their eyes as they awaited the imminent explosion, not knowing how Beo planned to get them out.

Beo set her eyes on the opening in the skylight, and summoned every last reserve of strength she had in her body. She activated her semblance, straining at the effort of moving two other people along with herself. They appeared on the roof, exactly where Beo wanted, but that was as far as her plan got. The effort was too much to handle in her weakened state, and she ultimately blacked out.

When she opened her eyes she immediately started to cough from all the smoke and dust in the air around her, causing even more pain in her side with each convulsion. She blinked a few times and looked around, amazed to still be alive. The ground was covering in flaming debris, and about two hundred feet away she could see a destroyed building she assumed used to be the warehouse. Her ribs felt even worse than it had before, and every part of her body ached. She tried to sit up, but intense pain shot through her as she tried.

"Easy, easy," Weiss said soothingly from behind her, and Neo was relieved to see that she was okay too. "Don't rush, we all landed pretty hard after the blast. But it worked, you got us all out alive. Emerald and I called my father and Ironwood, they'll be here soon."

Neo nodded weakly and drifted in and out of consciousness as the three girls waited for help to arrive. The next thing she knew, she was laying in a familiar hospital bed. She could remember sirens, a stretcher, and bits and pieces of an ambulance ride, but not much else of how she had arrived here. She wanted to sit up, but her experience from the last time she'd woken up here kept her from doing so. Instead, she reached for the button on the side of the bed to call in a nurse.

"You're awake!" Weiss suddenly cheered from a chair to Neo's left. She jumped up and rushed over to the bed, gingerly wrapping her arms around Neo's shoulders. "I'm so glad you're alright."

Neo smiled and hugged back, feeling a twinge of pain as she lifted her arms. She looked over and saw Emerald standing up as well, who also came over to join in the hug. They stayed together until they heard someone clear their throat from the doorway, and looked up to see General Ironwood standing to greet them with a smile.

"Good evening, ladies," he said as he walked into the room. "Neo, I'm glad to see you're finally awake. How are you feeling?"

"Never been better," she laughed, rolling her eyes at the question.

He chuckled, "Excellent. Anyway, I thought I'd come in to extend my thanks to you, all of you. In fact, I believe everyone here owes you a debt of gratitude. Your efforts have undoubtedly saved the festival, not to mention the countless lives of those attending. The media is already hailing the three of you as heroes."

"That's amazing," Emerald said, looking ecstatically at Neo and Weiss.

"That reminds me," Ironwood continued, taking a few more steps into the room. "I don't believe we've been properly acquainted. The last I remember hearing of you, you were fleeing from my men after kidnapping Miss Schnee the first time."

"Oh... R-Right," Emerald stuttered, her cheeks turning red. "I'm Emerald, Emerald Sustrai. I uh-"

"Pleased to meet you Emerald," Professor Ozpin interrupted, smiling warmly as he stepped into the room from behind the general. "I'm glad to see the three of you are alright."

The girls smiled back, meanwhile Ironwood hadn't taken his eyes of Emerald. "I'd like to know more about your involvement with today's events," he said, his tone much more serious than before.

"She helped us escape," Neo said quickly before Emerald had the chance to defend herself. It wasn't that Neo didn't think she'd be able to, but she figured it'd go over more smoothly if Ironwood heard it from someone he already trusted. "If it weren't for her, we'd both be dead, and Cinder would've won."

"I see," Ironwood said as Emerald nodded in agreement with Neo. "And what is it you plan on doing now, Miss Sustrai?"

Emerald looked down at her feet, "I uh... Well... I was sort of hoping..."

"Perhaps I can be of assistance," Ozpin interjected. Neo couldn't help but smile from the look he was giving Emerald, as it was the same he'd given her when they'd first met. He continued, "Just over a month ago, a girl in a similar position as yourself came to me looking for what to with her life. So far, I'd say the opportunity I gave her has panned out fairly well. Because of that, I see no reason why the same offer shouldn't be extended to you."

"I can think of several reasons," the general grunted. The looks on all three of the girls faces instantly went dark, and Emerald turned sadly to Neo. After a moment, Ironwood sighed, "However, if there's anything I've learned in this past month, it's that everyone deserves a second chance."

All three faces lit back up, and Emerald gasped after hearing that she was actually being taken in. "Thank you, sir," she beamed, trying to contain herself. "I won't let you down, either of you."

Ozpin smiled, "I know you won't. I'll get to work finding a team suitable for you to join, but I already have one in mind I think would be more than happy to have you. You and Neo should see about recruiting more people your age to our cause, perhaps you could have your own team together someday. Anyway, if you'll please come with me, I'll take you back to my office and get everything straightened out for your admittance."

Emerald eagerly nodded and followed him out, waving goodbye as she departed. The general followed them out, and now Weiss and Neo were left by themselves. They were silent for while, not from awkwardness but rather from just being happy to be in each other's company.

"So..." Neo said at last, a question coming to mind. "I feel kinda dumb for asking this, but... what happens with me and the tournament now?"

Weiss rolled her eyes and couldn't help a small laugh from escaping, "Only you would ask about that now. Well, you have three broken ribs, so there's no way you'll be competing tomorrow, even with how fast you heal. But that doesn't matter anymore, didn't you hear what General Ironwood said? They're calling you a hero! My father won't have to defend you at all, we're in the clear!"

"Huh, I guess you're right... That's awesome! We did it!" She pulled Weiss in for a kiss, which was quickly interrupted by a knocking on the door. The two looked up to see three familiar faces smiling in at them.

"Knock knock!" Yang said cheerfully as she ran in with Ruby and Blake at her heels. They came up to the bedside and pulled the five of them into team hug. "We're so happy to see you're alright! We were so worried when you didn't come back last night."

Ruby giggled, "Yeah, Yang was going nuts, especially after we got the news about you being kidnapped. But you're okay now, and that's what's important."

Neo smiled, "Thanks guys. Oh, that reminds me, I guess before we say anything else, Weiss and I have some pretty big news."

Ruby and Yang looked quizzically at the couple, not quite sure what to expect. Meanwhile, Blake stood with wide eyes and and an open mouth. Her gaze shot back and forth between Neo and Weiss' hands, and she already knew what the news would be. "Oh... my... God..." she said slowly as huge smile spread across her face. "That's incredible!"

"What?" Ruby and Yang asked in unison, their confusion only growing.

Neo smiled and held up her left hand, wiggling her ring finger to draw attention to the large ring on it. "Weiss and I are getting married," she said, blushing and turning to her fiancee with a smile. The rest of the team squealed in delight, pulling everyone back in for another, longer team hug. They finally separated, and Yang couldn't contain her excitement.

"CONGRATULATIONS! THIS IS SO EXCITING!" the blonde cheered, practically bouncing off the walls. "Have you thought of who you want as your bridesmaids yet?"

Weiss couldn't help but laugh at the question, although she wasn't surprised it was the first thing Yang would think of. "We haven't really had much time to think about it," she said, giving Neo a smile. Neo gave an amused look and nodded at an unspoken question, and Weiss turned back to the rest of her team. "But I can think of three good candidates off the top of my head."

There was another chorus of cheers followed by a third group hug, and the team spent the next fifteen minutes or so talking about the upcoming wedding. The discussion was cut short when a doctor came in to check on Neo and asked for the rest of the girls to leave. Weiss stayed of course, happy to pull the "I'm her fiancee" card. The examination went much as it did the last time, although this time Neo found herself in considerably more pain, having to stop and decline to continue some of the tests. When they finished, Weiss helped her get back into the bed while the doctor wrote down the results on his clipboard.

"Well, you're healing significantly faster than expected," he said with a hint of surprise. "Having seen your x-rays, most people wouldn't even be able to lift their arms. I'll advise you to stay in bed for the next few days until you don't feel any pain from movement, but you'll be happy to know we won't need to keep you here. I'll have you scheduled in for weekly checkups to track your healing. You'll be sore for quite a while, and I'd suggest you wait until we give you the okay before engaging in any strenuous physical activity."

Neo looked nervous, "How long do you think that'll be? Classes start up again on Monday."

"Relax, I'll write you an excuse for your combat training. Normally I'd say three, maybe four weeks until you try any sort of combat training, but given your recovery speed, I'll optimistically say two, maybe one and a half weeks if you're lucky."

Neo was a little sad at the news, but decided not to fight it. They went through a few more questions and concerns, and she was finally given the okay to check out. She and Weiss went straight back to the room, with Weiss walking close at Neo's side in case she needed any extra assistance. It was almost eleven o'clock at night now and Neo wasn't sure if it was the time, her injury, this day, or some combination of them, but she was exhausted. Her teammates were waiting for her back in the room, and had already made her bed and added some extra pillows to make it as comfortable as possible for her.

"Huh... I'm surprised," Neo said, looking around the room with a slightly confused expression.

"At what?" Blake asked.

"When Ozpin said he had a team in mind for Emerald, I kinda thought he meant ours."

"Six people on a team?" Ruby laughed. "No, that's crazy! Even five is pretty uncommon. I'm wondering what team he put her on too, but it's definitely not ours."

As if on queue, there was a rapid knocking at the door. Blake walked over and looked through the peephole before opening it, but she already knew who would be there. Nora ran past her and over to give Neo a tender hug, who had already laid down in her bed. Jaune, Pyrrha, and Ren followed calmly behind her, and bringing up the rear was the newest member of team JNPR. "Hi guys," Emerald greeted them, looking almost as happy as Ruby when the cafeteria put out fresh cookies.

"I should've known that's the team Ozpin meant," Neo said with a smile after proper introductions were made to the rest of team RWBY. "Are you guys getting along well?"

Nora immediately latched onto Emerald's arm, "Of course! She's so funny and fun and friendly and-"

"What she means," Jaune interrupted with a laugh. "Is that Emerald puts up with her. Or at least doesn't mind." Nora nodded happily in agreement, earning a laugh from the rest of the room.

The laughter died down, and Neo yawned widely before snuggling into her sheets. "Well, I'm gonna call it a day," she said drowsily. "Try to keep the noise in here to a low roar if you can please."

"Will do!" Yang cheered from up on her bunk. "Hey, I think this is the first time since you got together that you and Weiss aren't sharing her bed."

Weiss stuck out her tongue, "Oh be quiet. Besides, now that we're engaged we can-"

"YOU'RE WHAT?" team JNPR asked in unison. Even Ren showed emotion at hearing the news, his jaw seeming to touch the floor. Nora and Pyrrha's eyes lit up after the initial shock wore off, and they made the same squeal that the rest of team RWBY had earlier.

"CONGRATULATIONS!" Nora yelled, wrapping Weiss in a bear hug. The heiress tried her best to fight it and escape, but had no luck, and finally gave in and hugged her back. "You have to tell me everything! How'd it happen? Who proposed? When's the wedding? Can I be a bridesmaid? Please please please?"

The rest of team JNPR rushed over and pried Nora away, letting Weiss take in a much needed breath of air. "Calm down," Pyrrha said, petting Nora's jittery head. "We can get all the details tomorrow, but we should let Neo rest now."

"Fine," Nora said, pouting at the lack of answers she wanted. "But I expect to hear everything tomorrow!"

"Deal," Neo groaned from her pillow, "Can I go to sleep now?"

Jaune laughed, "Yeah, we'll get out of your hair. G'night guys, see ya tomorrow!"

Goodbyes and goodnights went around before team JNPR departed, and it wasn't long before Neo drifted off to sleep. Today had easily been the most stressful, most terrifying, and most demanding day of her life, but even after everything that had happened, there were still things coming up that scared her just as much as Cinder did. She was still meeting Weiss' family this weekend, and now that worry took the spot in her mind where the worry of her tournament placement had gone. She wasn't totally in the clear yet, even with the requirement to continue their relationship fulfilled, but there was one thing she knew for sure: With Weiss, her fiancee, at her side, she was ready to take on anything.

**Hi guys, hope you enjoyed the chapter! Now we'll be getting into more romance and emotional stuff with the meeting of the family and whatnot, so stay tuned for more! I saw I passed 150 follows and 16k views, and I've been getting more and more positive reviews and PM's with questions and comments, so thank you to everyone who's showing your support. If you've got questions, please feel free to message me, I'll answer as best as I can and address any concerns you have. That's all for now, see you next chapter!**


	16. Chapter 16: Better to Ask Forgiveness

**Hello again everyone! So I almost regret asking you to message me with questions, because I got something like sixty PM's asking me why I killed off Roman, Mercury, and Cinder, so I thought I'd address ask of you at once here. Nowhere did I say that Cinder and Mercury were dead. Come to think of it, I didn't really say if Roman was either. Who knows, they may be back again, but I don't want to give too much away. It's awesome to see so many of you taking such an interest in the story. :) Anyway, I'll shut up now and let you get to the good stuff: The next chapter! Oh, and I may have lied about getting into the emotional stuff now, we're got two more chapters first.**

Chapter 16: Better to Ask Forgiveness

The next morning arrived with the rude sound of Ruby's alarm. Neo refused to believe it as time up get up, and pulled her pillow over her head to muffle the noise. "Rise and shine, team RWBY!" the team's jubilant leader sang as she hopped off her bed to turn off the alarm.

"I don't wanna," Neo groaned into her pillow.

Yang's equally groggy voice came from her bunk, "Yeah, me either."

Ruby huffed and crossed her arms at her team's lack of enthusiasm. "Come on guys, it's the tournament finals today!" she cheered, trying to get everyone else as excited as she was. "Yang, you need to get up. Neo, you can go back to bed if you're not feeling well. OH, and before I forget, happy birthday!"

"Thanks!" Neo and Weiss said at the same time, turning to each other afterward and giggling. "Jinx!"

"You owe me a kiss on the lips," Neo grinned, finally sitting up and stretching. Weiss was happy to oblige, and walked over with an amused look before giving Neo a soft kiss.

"How're you feeling?" the heiress asked.

"Actually, not too bad," Neo replied, standing up and trying a few more stretches. There was a little pain when she tried to twist her body quickly, but otherwise she felt surprisingly okay. She smiled mischievously, "Maybe I can still compete today."

The rest of the team yelled in unison, "NO!"

"Sheesh, I was just joking."

Weiss crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes, "Yeah, sure you were. Neo, I love you, but if you compete today we might be getting a divorce."

"You need to be married first to get a divorce," Blake pointed out, earning a scowl from Weiss. "Seriously though, you could really hurt yourself. Most people would still be in the hospital right now, don't push your luck."

Neo rolled her eyes, "I know, I know. It's just... I dunno, it feels weird having worked so hard for this and now I can't see it through. I know it doesn't even matter anymore, but I still wanna finish what I started."

"I know you do," Weiss replied. Her expression had softened, and she took a step forward to give Neo a hug. "Believe me, I want nothing more than to see you win the tournament, but it's just not worth risking. There's always next year."

Neo sighed, but couldn't fight that Weiss was right. She nodded reluctantly, and at last the team got on with its morning routine. They'd woken up a little earlier than usual today to meet team JNPR for breakfast, so Neo and Weiss could tell the tale of their engagement and such. Ruby got a message on her scroll from Jaune not long after they'd woken up saying to "hurry before Nora explodes," which considerably sped up the time it took to get dressed and ready. Weiss was a little upset she wasn't being given the time to properly do her makeup, but Neo's compliments about looking perfect just the way she was were enough to get the heiress out the door and down to the dining hall.

Their walk started out at a much more brisk pace than usual since Nora "exploding" wouldn't end well for anyone, but it was such a nice day out that they couldn't help but slow down to take in the sun and fresh air. They arrived at the dining hall and got their breakfast before sitting down to join team JNPR. Emerald looked like she was adjusting well, which wasn't too big a surprise since she'd stayed here most of the first semester, but Neo was still relieved to see it. Meanwhile, Nora had been staring down team RWBY since they'd entered the hall. Her left eye was twitching as the girls sat down, and now she'd had enough of waiting.

"ALRIGHT, NOW TELL ME EVERYTHING!" she yelled. All eyes in the cafeteria turned to her after the outburst, but she didn't care.

"Alright, alright, calm down," Neo said quickly, a hint of fear in her voice. "Where do you want us to start?"

"The proposal! Who was it? How'd it happen? When, where? And where'd you get those rings?"

Neo snickered at the last question, and Weiss shot her an unamused look. "Let's see, in that order," Neo started, taking a moment to get everything she needed in her head. "I proposed to Weiss. We were getting ready to make our escape attempt and I didn't know if we'd actually make it out. So, ya know, seemed like a good a time as any. As for the rings, let's just say they're from Emerald's 'personal' collection."

"So they're stolen?" Jaune asked with a laugh, immediately catching on to Neo's meaning.

Emerald shrugged, "Maaaybe."

"So what about the wedding?" Nora asked excitedly, skipping over the obvious conversation that could be had about the morality and whatnot of stolen engagement rings. "Have you guys thought of a date yet? Or maybe a theme? And please please please can I-"

"Yes," Neo interrupted. "You can be a bridesmaid. Pyrrha, the offer goes for you too."

Pyrrha gasped in excitement, "I'd be honoured to!"

"Cool! As for dates and themes and stuff, we haven't had time to talk about any of that yet. You guys will be the first to know about any plans we make."

"So how does this work with there being two brides?" Jaune asked. He looked a little uncomfortable bringing up the subject, but Neo couldn't blame him for asking. He continued, "Will there still be, like, groomsmen and stuff? Does one of you wait at the altar or do you both walk down?"

Weiss and Neo exchanged a look and shrugged simultaneously. "I guess that's up to us, "Weiss said. "What do you think, Neo?"

"I think we should still have groomsmen. Also, is it bad that I'd rather wear a tux than a dress?" Laughter erupted from everyone at the table, but Neo kept a neutral face. She turned to Weiss, who was still clutching her stomach from laughing, and waited for the noise to die down. "I'm being serious, I'm already planning on wearing a suit to the ball tomorrow. I hate wearing dresses to begin with, and I think it'd be nice to have me waiting for you when you walk down the aisle."

The expression on Weiss' face was somewhere between confused, conflicted, and angry. The anger won out for a moment, then the conflicted, and finally she smiled. "Well... I guess it would be alright. But, if you want to be the groom, that means it's my wedding more than yours, so I get final say in everything."

Neo grinned, "Sounds good to me. So I guess that means I need to find some groomsmen. Hmm... Jaune, Ren, would you be interested?"

"Absolutely!" Jaune said without a moment's hesitation. Neo then looked to Ren, who nodded with the slightest hint of a smile. There was a moment of quiet before Jaune laughed to himself. "I guess that means there'll still be female strippers at the 'bachelor' party."

Pyrrha gave him a light punch in the shoulder and Weiss glared across the table, but nobody could deny it was funny. The group went on eating and talking about the wedding, and Neo found herself smiling more and more as the discussion went on. The reality of actually getting married was really starting to sink in, and she had never been happier. The morning drew on and eventually they had to leave to the hall and make their way into town, but all the talk about the wedding followed them until they'd taken their seats in the arena.

Professor Ozpin came over the loudspeaker a few minutes later and said a few words about the festival and the tournament. After his short speech, he announced that the quarter-finals would begin in fifteen minutes, and that contestants should receive a notice on their scroll for when to get ready. As soon as he concluded, there was a buzzing from Pyrrha's purse, and she pulled out her scroll to see she would have her match first.

"Good luck, Pyrrha!" Ruby cheered. The rest if the group chimed in with their own praise as Pyrrha made her way out of the stands and down to the lockers.

"Do you think she'll win?" Neo asked, looking over to the rest of her friends.

Jaune shrugged, "I think she has a pretty chance. The only person I know anything about who's still in it is Neptune, and I know she could beat him."

"The only way they'd face of is in the finals," Yang added, looking over the brackets on her scroll. "If he wins this round, he'll be fighting the girl Neo was gonna fight."

"What about Pyrrha's opponents?" Nora asked.

"I'm getting there. Umm... She's going up against a girl named Amber Everbloom. After that she's fighting either Damien... I'm not even gonna try to pronounce his last name, or... Penny! That's awesome! I'd forgotten she was even here! How'd we not notice her fighting until now?"

"PENNY?" Ruby shouted in excitement, eager to see her friend again. "That's so cool! I... Wait... Aww man, that means I can't root for Penny to win. I can't root against Pyrrha."

"Don't worry, sis, you can cheer for them both."

The match began on time as Ozpin had said, and Neo found that she couldn't concentrate on the fight. Not from any lack of interest, but watching Pyrrha only made her upset that she wouldn't be able to compete. She tried to take her mind off it and focus on supporting her friend, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was just giving up. After zoning out for a while, her attention was brought back to the arena from the yell of the crowd as Pyrrha was announced the winner of the match. Neo did watch the next fight, but only because Penny's very strange fighting style had her perplexed as to how she did it. Ruby quickly explained that Penny was actually a robot, which helped to clear things up. To team RWBY's dismay Penny didn't win the match, but it did solve Ruby's dilemma of who to cheer for.

Neptune's match was announced to start in ten minutes after Penny's ended, and by now Neo could barely sit still. She looked at the time and sighed. "I'm gonna go get a soft pretzel before the match starts," she said, more so looking for an excuse to get up she walk around than actually eat. "Any of you guys want anything?"

"Junk food already?" Weiss asked in disgust. "We just had breakfast!"

Neo shrugged, "Meh, I want a pretzel. Anyone else?"

The rest of the group shook their heads, and Neo got up to head to the snackbar. As expected the line was fairly long, but Neo was just happy to be up and have something to distract her from the tournament. She bought her pretzel, after swearing under her breath about how overpriced it was, and started back toward her friends when her scroll went off from her purse. Confused as to who would be messaging her, she pulled it out and was shocked to see a notification to report to the locker room to get ready.

'_Wait, the hell?_' she thought. '_Did Ironwood not take me off the bracket? Maybe it's just a mistake._'

She looked back at the gate for her section, hearing Neptune's match begin, then back down the corridor. She did a few quick stretches, testing the limits of her injury, and sighed, '_Weiss is gonna kill me... Good thing I'm cute._'

Neo smiled to herself before racing down to the locker room, eager to get out and fight. She ate her pretzel and got ready in time to watch the end of the match from inside. Neptune came out on top, and Neo was happy not to have seen any foul play during the part of the match she'd seen. It didn't take long for her friends to notice she'd been gone a long time, and Neo got a message from Weiss about halfway through the intermission asking where she was.

'_Got distracted, I'll be out in a few minutes,_' she typed back, smiling as she did.

"Just not back out to our seats," she said to herself. She let out a nervous laugh at the thought of how Weiss was going to react, but didn't dwell on it too long. "I'm really gonna be paying for this one..."

An official poked his head into the room, "You're up, Neopolitan. Wait until you hear your name called, then walk out."

She nodded, and walked to the edge of the tunnel. Her opponent was announced first, however she didn't pay attention to the name. Her heart was racing, and that pace only quickened as Ironwood called her name. After taking a few deep breaths to calm her nerves, she stepped out into the arena. She was met by the roar of the crowd, but her attention went straight to where her teammates were sitting. Mortified was an understatement as to the expressions on their faces. Neo cringed as her eyes fell on Weiss, and saw the look of horror she wore. She nervously waved to the group, and their faces instantly switched to rage. She shrugged as a way of saying sorry, and turned to face her opponent.

The girl standing across from her was about Blake's height with long, dirty blonde hair. Her outfit was made of a tan leather with a red trim, and seemed like it wouldn't inhibit the girl's mobility. She pulled long-barrelled rifle off her back, which transformed into a longsword with a slightly curved blade. '_Alright, her armour and sword look pretty light,_' Neo thought as she started her transition. '_This should be fun._'

"Neopolitan, are you ready?" the official asked, receiving a nod. "Crystal, are you ready?" The other girl nodded, and the official raised his whistle to his mouth. "Ready... Begin!"

The whistle blew, and Crystal charged forward without a second of hesitation. Her strikes were very fast and precise, forcing Beo to block with every tactic she knew. Beo threw a few punches back, trying to put herself on the attack, but the slashes came in too quickly to mount a solid offense. Growing a little irritated, she did a handspring backwards to try to give herself some room. As she planted her hands on the ground and brought her head through, she felt a sharp pain in her side from the sudden action, and turned the flip into a back roll to disguise the pain. She returned to her feet, and decided she needed to fight back now before her body wouldn't let her.

Beo leapt forward, ducking under a horizontal swing and planted a hard kick on Crystal's stomach. Crystal recoiled from the unexpected blow, but rebounded immediately and returned to her onslaught. Beo was shocked that this girl could attack with such speed and not show any sigh of slowing, especially after taking a hit. The idea of simply wearing her down came to mind, but Beo knew she would give out first. If she wanted to have the strength to fight through possibly two more matches, this is needed to end as quickly as possible.

Another series of lightning-fast strikes came in, and this time Beo decided to simply push through it. She extended her umbrella to glance off one of the blows as she moved in, but was forced to use her aura to block another that connected with her upper arm. Her aura dropped to between the green and orange, but now she was positioned where she wanted to be. With her usual flare, Beo got in a number of well placed blows before grappling Crystal and flinging her a good distance away.

As quickly as before, Crystal regained her composure and now reverted her sword to its rifle form. She fired a full clip at Beo, who had no issue dodging past the initial spray and blocking the rest with her extended umbrella while moving in to continue the fight. Crystal reloaded her gun as Beo drew closer, but that proved to be a very costly mistake. She switched out the magazines with seemingly inhuman speed and fired a few rounds, but instead of colliding as expected they passed right through as Beo's imagine shattered into tiny fragments.

Beo appeared right behind Crystal after the use of her semblance, and now the underhand was hers. She got in several good hits before Crystal was able to break away and get her weapon back to its melee form. The girl's hand to hand skills were very lacking, giving Beo a distinct edge during that time. Crystal finally broke away and readied her sword, but Beo's assault had done what it needed to, and Crystal was noticeably fatigued. The match continued for another few minutes with both girls going back and forth on who was on the attack, but in the end Beo had gotten in enough damage and came out on top. With one last flip, she pulled Crystal into the air and brought her down hard onto the ground, sending the girl's aura into the red.

"That's the match!" the official called, walking over to the girls. "Winner, Neopolitan!" The crowd cheered, making Neo smile, but she was more interesting in how her friends were reacting than everyone else. Glancing over at them, she saw Nora clapping excitedly while the rest of the group simply looked relieved that she hadn't gotten hurt.

Neo shook hands with Crystal and retrieved her things before making her way back to her seat, although she wasn't thrilled about the welcome she'd be receiving. She nervously stepped out into the stands and walked to her seat at the end of the row. As expected, she was met by eight furious stares. Nora was the only one smiling, and even Ren looked visibly angry.

"Snack bar, huh?" Yang asked, fire starting to glow in the back of her eyes.

Neo sighed, "Okay... In my defense, I actually did get a soft pretzel. Then I got a notification on my scroll to go to the lockers, and-"

"AND YOU ACTUALLY WENT?" Weiss screeched, not caring about the attention she was drawing to herself. "I can't believe you would do something so stupid! Do you have any idea how badly you could've gotten hurt?"

"I know, I know, I'm sorry. I just... I had to keep going. I can't give up here, I've put too much effort into this. I know what could go wrong, but I can do this, I promise. I haven't broken a promise yet, have I?"

Weiss looked like she was ready to explode, and if she'd had Yang's semblance she probably would've. She shut her eyes and took a few breaths through her nose in an attempt to calm herself before speaking, but it didn't help. "I don't even know what to say right now, Neo. I don't care if you can promise you won't get hurt, and I don't care that you feel like you have to compete. We all told you not to go out there because it could land you in the hospital for something far worse than you have before. You went against your friends, your team, and against me. How do you expect us to eat right now?"

"Weiss, please, I'm sorry," Neo pleaded. "But I can do this, I really can. You're my fiancee, you're supposed to support me. I-"

Weiss had heard enough, and now she'd reached her limit. "That's enough! If you go out there again, the wedding is off!" As soon as the words left her mouth, Weiss already regretted saying them. Neo's eyes shot open, and the most disheartened look around had seen came over her. "Neo... that's not what I-"

Neo didn't stay to hear the rest. She took off running out of the stands, bumping into people as tears clouded her vision. She run to the bathroom, which rather luckily was empty, and put her hands on either side of one of the sinks to support herself while she cried. Weiss came through the door only moments after, looking on the verge of tears herself. She walked up to Neo and put a hand on her shoulder, but it was shrugged off.

Neo shook her head, not looking up from the sink, "J-Just go."

"Neo, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to say that," Weiss said, wishing she could take back her words. " You know I would never-"

"Then w-why did you say it?" Neo asked between sobs. "I-If you hadn't been so a-angry I wouldn't have t-taken you seriously... But you meant it..."

"No! Of course I didn't mean it! I just... I didn't... Please, Neo, I'm sorry. I was furious, beyond furious, and I said something I shouldn't have. I love you, more than anything in the world, you know that. I would never leave you over something this stupid."

Neo smiled faintly through her tears, but still didn't turn to face Weiss, "I love you too. I just... nevermind. I'll go to Ironwood right now and tell him I'm dropping out."

"Don't you dare!" Weiss yelled, catching Neo surprise. The heiress cupped Neo's face on both sides and her head so they were looking each other in the eye. "Neo... You're right, I should be supportive, even when you do something as stupid as this. If you say you can handle it, then I'll believe you, but I need you to promise that if anything happens you'll stop right away, okay?"

Neo's eyes lit up, and she wiped her cheeks with her sleeve as a wide smile spread across them. "I promise. Thank you," she said, moving in and giving Weiss a quick kiss. "I won't overdo it. Besides, I'm up against Neptune now, he wouldn't do anything to hurt me on purpose."

Weiss sighed, "I suppose. Come on, let's get back to the team so they know everything's alright."

Neo nodded and took Weiss' hand as they returned to their seats. The rest of the group was relieved to see the couple come back smiling, but weren't as happy to hear that Weiss was allowing Neo to keep fighting. Emerald was the only one who seemed okay with it, but after growing up with Neo this wasn't anything out of the ordinary to her. While the rest wanted to talk her out of it, it seemed better to not press the issue more. Instead, they spent the intermission chatting like they would any other day, and eventually Neo received a notification on her scroll as it came time to begin the semifinals. Even though they didn't want her to go, both teams still wished her good luck as she left the stands she headed down to get ready.

She put her purse and scroll in a locker along with her umbrella before making a quick trip to the bathroom before the match. When she came back out, she was surprised to see Neptune standing in the middle of the room. "Hey, aren't you supposed to be in other locker room?"

"Huh?" he asked in surprise, spinning around to see who had spoken. "Oh, uh, yeah. I just uh... wanted to say a few things before the match."

Neo gave him a confused look, "Okay...? Like what?"

"Well first," he said, taking a much more hostile tone than before. "I know Blake threw her match with you, and if you think I'll do the same you're dead wrong. I got here because I actually worked for it, and I'm not about to lose."

"I'd never ask you to do that. I told Blake not to, but she-"

"Yeah, right, she just decided to out of the goodness of her heart. Nothing to do with you needing to win so desperately, I'm sure."

"Fuck off," Neo snapped, already fed up with the way she was being talked to. "And yes, she actually did. Now get the hell out before I do something I'll regret."

Neptune smirked, "Oh, I'm so scared. Face it, you should just give up while you can. You're run ends here, and so does your little fling with Weiss." He turned and walked out, leaving Neo fuming as she retrieved her umbrella and waited for Ironwood to start the match.

'_What the fuck is with him?_' she thought angrily. '_I get that he had a crush on Weiss, but how is he not over it by now? Little fling? Are you fucking kidding me? I get he doesn't know we're engaged, but... Gah! Fucking asshole..._' She sat on one of the benches and did her best to clear her head until the general came over the loudspeaker and called her into the arena. She stepped out and was met by the same roar as last time, but now with the addition of her friends cheering her name. Neptune was called out shortly after, and the two met in the centre to shake hands before the match.

Neptune gave a cocky smile, "You sure you don't just wanna give up now?"

"Not a chance," Neo replied with a scowl.

"Suit yourself. It'll just make winning her back all the more easy after I humiliate you in front of so many people."

It took every ounce of self control Neo had not to punch Neptune in the jaw right then and there. Instead, she turned and walked to her position for the start of the match. Her blood was boiling as she turned back to the face him, and she felt herself losing control to Beo a little earlier than she would've liked. The official took his place to begin the fight, and before Neo relinquished control she had one more thought pass through her head.

'_Beo, kick his ass._'


	17. Chapter 17: Revenge is Always Sweet

Chapter 17: Revenge is Always Sweet

'_Beo, kick his ass._'

"With pleasure," Beo replied under her breath as the transition finished. She started across the way at her blue-haired opponent, grinning wickedly at the twisted thoughts going through her mind. This wasn't about the tournament anymore, this was personal. Beo wanted blood, and she had every intention of getting it.

"Both contestants ready?" the official asked, getting a nod from them both. "Ready... Begin!"

The whistle blew, and Beo leapt forward to start her assault. Neptune fired a few shots from his rifle as she approached, but she was easily able to dodge and flip around them. She came out of a handspring after avoiding a shot aimed for her legs, and connected both of her feet with Neptune's chest, sending him sprawling backwards while she landed gracefully. He returned to his feet and turned his gun into its glaive form before charging at Beo. The reach of his weapon made blocking a little difficult, but having only the head capable of doing real damage made it easier.

The spins and flare Neptune performed his attacks with made getting in close nearly impossible, but her moment to strike came after a deflection with hey umbrella twisted his wrist beyond its normal range, causing him to fumble the weapon and give her a chance to move in. Her first punch went to his right arm, knowing the glaive out if his hand completely. She spun around to set up a kick to his head, but was taken surprise when he caught her leg and sent her to the ground. She lashed out with a kick in an attempt to trip him before getting up, but he jumped away in time and picked up his weapon again, now extending the head to its full trident form.

The two went back and forth now, one swinging, the other parrying, reverse, and repeat. The cycle was broken when Beo leapt back to give herself room to move and make Neptune come in for the next strike. He charged toward her just as she wanted, and she went to extend her umbrella to glance a strike before making her next move. She froze when the spring locked and wouldn't budge, and turned too late to stop the slash coming in. It connected straight on her injured side, sending her to the ground and knocking the wind out of her as blinding pain shot through her. Her aura absorbed most of the blow though, and dropped well into the orange. Nothing felt like it had broken again, and she stared down at her umbrella with the few seconds she had before Neptune would be back on her.

'_I don't understand, how'd it get jammed?_' she thought in dismay. She looked at the mechanism and gasped when she saw a long, metal rod that had been obviously shoved into it. '_THAT CHEATING FUCK! That's why he was in my locker room, to sabotage me! That's it, you mess with the bull, you get the fucking horns._'

The hit to her ribs had taken most of her strength to keep fighting with it, but that didn't deter her. She took up her usual cocky stance, although a little lopsided from the pain, and held her umbrella to her side in anticipation of Neptune's next move. He smirked, picking up on her injury and planning to exploit it as he leapt into the air to land a powerful swing from above. He descended closer, but Beo didn't flinch. She was waiting, waiting for his moment of no return, when whatever she did wouldn't give him time to block. He pulled his weapon back over his head to swing, and now she wore a psychotic grin as she pulled her sword from the umbrella, whipping it back and swinging it at its target: Neptune's throat.

Things seemed to act in slow motion now as Neptune came down toward her. She saw the look of fear come over him as he realised he couldn't block the sword, and she relished it. His aura was partway into the orange, and he and Beo both knew it wouldn't be enough to protect him from this. She intended to kill him, and felt no remorse whatsoever about it, only a twisted pleasure. The blade drew closer as she pulled her arm around, and it seemed as though this match would be ending with the blood Beo had wanted from the start.

'_No!_'

At the last possible moment the blade changed course, coming mere fractions of an inch from slicing clean through his throat. Instead, it connected between the top of his pecks, cutting down the length of the right side of his chest and ending just above him bottom most rib. Beo sidestepped as he fell past her and landed flat against the ground. He screamed in pain as blood began to seep out and trickle down to the ground, and the official immediately called the end of the match. He rushed over, along with the medical personnel who had been waiting on standby for exactly this reason.

They pulled Neptune up onto a stretcher and quickly began to wrap him in gauze and bandages as they wheeled him out of the arena. Beo stood stunned during all of this, not because of what she'd done, but out of shock her sword hadn't landed where she'd expected. The official came back outside a minute out so later and announced that Neptune was alright before declaring Neo the winner of the match. She transitioned back to her normal self and ran straight to see Neptune, both out of fear of the damage her sister personality had done, but also because there were still a few things that had to be done. She came through the doors as the medics were leaving, and saw Neptune sitting shirtless on a bench with bandages covering his entire torso.

He saw her enter and sighed before looking down at the ground, "That was... that was some hit... I thought for sure it was-"

"Going for your throat?" Neo finished angrily, receiving a nod from Neptune. "It was, and you don't know how lucky you are to be alive right now. Beo was going to kill you, but I stopped her. You don't understand, I've never been able to take control back early after I've lost it, never. I fought as hard as I could, and you're damn lucky I got through, or else you'd have been wheeled off the field in a blue bag."

"Wow..." was all he could say. He sat in silence for a minute before sighing again, "Alright, well... I guess I owe you a thank you then, and-"

"You owe me more than just a fucking thank you," Neo hissed. "You wanna know what's the scariest thing? Part of me wanted to let it happen. After the way you talked to me before the match, I seriously considered it. Oh, and I know it was you who sabotaged my umbrella, and I know you cheated in half of your other matches too. You don't have to worry though, I'm not gonna tell anyone. I think almost killing you here is enough of a lesson. And on that note, I've got one more thing I want to make abundantly clear before I go. If you ever, and I mean EVER, try to come between me and my fiancee again, you'll wish you'd have gotten off so easy as to just have my blade through your neck, understand?"

Neptune's eyes widened when Neo referred to Weiss as her fiance, and frantically nodded without another word as she finished her statement. With that, she turned and left to return to her seat. On the way back she passed Pyrrha, who was on her way down to get ready for her own semi-final match, and wished her good luck before making the rest of the walk back. When she arrived, she was met by stunned faces, and rightfully so after what had happened.

"Holy shit," Yang said with wide eyes. "That was a thing."

Neo grinned, "Hey, he started it. Fucker first threatened me in the locker room and talked about 'taking Weiss back,' and is also the reason my umbrella wouldn't open. Granted, not the best reasons to kill someone, but Beo's a bit of a psychopath."

Ruby's mouth dropped open, "Oh my God! I can't believe he'd do that!"

"Yeah, well, believe it. Don't worry though," Neo said, turning to Weiss with an evil smile. "We won't have to worry about him any more."

Jaune looked worried, "Now, when you say that..."

"Yes, he's still alive. For now at least."

Weiss rolled her eyes and pulled Neo into a surprisingly ginger hug, "I'm just glad you're okay. How's your side?"

"Pretty sore, but I think I'm alright. I don't know if I've got enough strength left in me for another match though."

Blake's face lit up, "That's right, you're in the finals now! Congrats! You might get to fight Pyrrha for first place!"

"That. Would. Be. AWESOME!" Nora said excitedly, bouncing in her seat. "Ooo, her match is gonna start soon!"

Neo smiled and sat down, leaning her head on Weiss' shoulder to use as a pillow. The hit to her injured side had sapped a lot of her energy, and she decided to take a quick nap before Pyrrha's March to try to replenish as much of it as possible if she was actually going to fight in the finals. She woke up about twenty minutes later and was surprised to see Pyrrha had rejoined the group. She was then informed she's slept through the match, Pyrrha had won, and the two of them would in fact be in the finals together. She was also told that the match for third place wasn't being held since Neptune had to drop out, and Pyrrha's last opened was awarded third place by default.

"Sorry I slept through your match," Neo yawned, stretching as she did.

Pyrrha smiled and shook her head, "Don't worry about it, you needed it. Do you think you'll be ready for the finals?"

"I hope so. I think you're gonna win either way, but I guess we'll have to see how it goes."

"Why do you say that?" Weiss asked.

Neo shrugged, "Well to start, my record against her in training is something like seven to twenty-five, not to mention I'm not exactly in top physical condition right now. But like I said, we'll just have to wait and see."

Pyrrha went to reply, but Neo's scroll buzzing changed what she had planned to say. "Who's that?"

"It's from Ozpin," Neo said with a confused expression. "He says he wants to see me."

Yang laughed, "I wonder why. It's not like you almost killed someone in front of, well, everyone. Oh, wait!"

Neo rolled her eyes and got up to go see the headmaster. She knew Yang was right about the reason, but wasn't as sure about what he would want to say to her about it. General Ironwood would be there as well, which made her a little more nervous since he'd likely not be as kind of Ozpin. She knocked on the door to their both, and it was Ozpin who answered.

"Good afternoon, Neo," he greeted her, motioning for her to come in. "I take it you know why I wanted to talk to you?"

"Because Neptune almost left in a body bag?" she replied, knowing neither he nor the general would find her as amusing as she did.

"Yes, that," Ironwood said sternly. "Is there anything you'd like to say to explain why you acted so savagely?"

"Well, to start he came up to me before the match and said some pretty hateful stuff about me and Weiss, and Beo sort of went overboard after that. She did want to kill him, but I stopped her."

"Interesting," Professor Ozpin replied. "I still find it very interesting you refer to your other personality as another person entirely. May I also inquire about the hit you took to your injured side? It seemed like you had planned to block it with your umbrella, but it didn't open."

"Yeah, it got jammed," Neo said. She could've ratted Neptune out then, but she wanted to honour what she'd said to him earlier. She did feel a little guilty for not telling the truth, but she wasn't really lying either, just not telling the full truth.

Even so, Ozpin seemed to know that she was deliberately not saying Neptune had cheated, and to great surprise, he smiled. "Very well. In the future, try to exercise more caution with these kinds of things, show a little more restraint. While students have died in this tournament before, it's best to avoid it whenever we can. That will be all."

Neo nodded and returned to seat, and told the rest of the group what Ozpin had wanted. They were a little shocked she didn't tell him about the sabotage, but respected her decision as to why. The intermission went on, and eventually Neo and Pyrrha received their notification to get ready. The rest of the group wish them luck as they got up from their seats, and they walked together toward the locker rooms. They split up to go to their respective side and get ready, and waited anxiously to be called out. Professor Ozpin came over the loudspeaker again with a few more words about the festival, as well as reiterating that there would not be a match for third place, and at last announced the start of the final match. Pyrrha was called out first, then Neo, and they came to the middle of the arena to shake hands and have one last friendly conversation before the match.

"Good luck," Neo said with a smile.

'_You know, I guess I don't really care who wins,_' she thought with a strange happiness. '_I mean, I already did what I came here to do, and even then stopping Cinder was already enough. Being in the finals is just icing on the cake. Winning would be cool, but I wouldn't be upset if I lost._'

Pyrrha smiled back, "Thank you, good luck to you too. I'll try to watch not to hit your side as best I can."

"Well... alright," Neo replied with a sceptical expression. "But I better not see you going easy on me because of it."

"You won't have to worry about that. I'm still here to win, but I'm not about to exploit your injury to do so."

Neo smiled and nodded, and the two took their positions as the official came out to start the fight. "This is the match for first place in the Vytal Festival Tournament," he said, earning a cheer from the crowd. "Both fighters ready? Begin!"

Both Pyrrha and Beo leapt forward at the same, clashing together less than a second after the match began. Pyrrha started with her usual opening set of attacks, which Beo had had plenty of time training against to block and counter. It was strange to think that the girl who she had the most experience fighting against was her biggest competition. Even though she knew most every move that would be thrown at her, Pyrrha was still so talented that it didn't seem to matter. Of course, none of that deterred Beo.

Pyrrha's swings were both fluid and incredibly fast, faster than usual it seemed, and Beo quickly found herself having difficulty keeping the girl at bay. The speed that Pyrrha could integrate her gun into the fight was also something that continued to give Beo trouble, and Pyrrha took a very early lead as she pressed her attack harder and harder. Beo could feel what small reserve of strength she had left starting to leave her, and was forced to start pushing back, even though it didn't put her in the best position.

She glanced a high slash off her umbrella and moved in to grapple her opponent. She was met by a strong bash from Pyrrha's shield as she attempted to flip over the girl's shoulder, but recovered in the air in time to grab Pyrrha's arm before she had brought it back down. Beo spun to get herself in the right orientation and planted her feet on Pyrrha's back. She pulled back into a flip, launching Pyrrha into the air as she did, and jumped up to meet her mid-air. Pyrrha righted herself as she began to fall and launched her shield at Beo, who wasn't prepared to block it.

The metal disk collided with Beo's stomach, knocking her to the ground before returning to Pyrrha's hand. Beo got back to her feet and glanced over at the scoreboard to see that her aura had already dropped out of the green. She narrowed her eyes and charged back at Pyrrha, doing a series of flips and spins to avoid the gunfire coming toward her. She got in a few hits, but was quickly countered and knocked back by a hard swing to her torso. She went straight back in, and was knocked away yet again, and again, and again. In her mind, she knew that the fight was going to go to Pyrrha, but she still refused to give up.

Now Pyrrha leapt forward to engage Beo, and delivered several heavy blows before Beo disengaged to get away and catch her breath. Her aura was almost on the red now, and she lacked the energy to fight with her normal flare, but was still determined to fight until the official said it was over. Panting heavily, her eyes met with Pyrrha's as they stood still for a moment, waiting for the other attack. Pyrrha gave her a sympathetic look, and Beo gave a small nod in return to say that the match was over except for the call. They both rushed forward, meeting in a flurry of swings of both sword and umbrella, and at last Pyrrha delivered the final blow with a strong slam from her shield against Beo's chest.

"And that's the match!" the official called, running out to the the two girls. Pyrrha helped Neo returned to her feet as she transitioned back, and the two shared a hug before the official came to declare the victor. "Our champion: Pyrrha Nikos!"

There was a thunderous cheer from the audience, and now Professor Ozpin and General Ironwood stepped into the arena, along with Pyrrha's opponent from last round, carrying with them the medals for the the finalists. The three lined up in order, and Ozpin smiled as he picked up the first medal.

"Our third place finisher: Damien Sepharin!" he said. His voice echoed through the stadium as he placed the award around the boy's neck. They shook hands, and the professor now moved to Neo.

She smiled, "Not bad for having broken ribs, huh?"

"I should say so," he replied with a smile as he placed the medal over her head. "Second place, Neopolitan! Come to think of it, I can't say you've ever told me your last name."

She shrugged, "Well, that's because I don't know what it is. Although, it'll be Schnee soon enough."

She flashed her ring as she went to shake Ozpin's hand, and he smiled warmly at the news. "Well then, congratulations on your engagement. I wish you both a bright future together."

"Thank you, sir," she smiled, and now Ozpin moved to face Pyrrha.

"And now first place, and grand champion of the Vytal Festival Tournament, Pyrrha Nikos!"

The cheering of the crowd was almost deafening as he awarded her the medal, making her blush. There was one final handshake before Ozpin stepped back to let all three contestants take a bow, and together they all walked off as one of the festival chairmen up at the booth came over the loudspeaker to give a short speech and declare the conclusion of the tournament. Neo and Pyrrha met with their friends in the sea of people leaving the stadium, and waited until they were all outside together before celebrating.

"Congratulations!" Jaune said with a wide smile, pulling Pyrrha in for a long kiss. Weiss smirked, refusing to be outdone as a couple, and kissed Neo with the same fervour. The rest of the group laughed at the display, and afterwards everyone went around to say own congratulations to the Pyrrha and Neo.

"See, I told told you so" Neo said, looking specifically at Weiss. The heiress gave her a confused look, and Neo smiled. "I said I wouldn't get hurt, and I didn't. The streak of not breaking a promise lives on!"

Weiss rolled her eyes, "Oh hush, you got lucky and you know it. Still, I'm glad you're alright. So what do you guys wanna do now?"

A rumbling from Yang's stomach answered that question rather quickly, and the group eventually decided to stop by a local deli for lunch.

"So is second place a good enough birthday present, Neo?" Blake asked after they ordered their food and sat down, reminding everyone of what day it was.

"That's right, it's yours and Weiss' birthday!" Nora exclaimed. "We need to have a party or something!"

"I'd really rather we not," Weiss replied, crossing her arms as she did.

Nora frowned, "Aww... WAIT, I'VE GOT IT! We'll have a party for Pyrrha winning the tournament, and there'll just so happen that the cake says 'Happy birthday!' It's perfect!" There were several nods of agreement from the rest of the group, and Weiss knew she wasn't going to be able to fight it. "Then it's settled! Now let's see... Yang, Blake, Ruby, go to the store and get some streamers and balloons and stuff. Ren and I will go get the cake."

"What about me?" Jaune asked.

"You escort Pyrrha back to Beacon, it is her party after all. Birthday girls, you go back with them. This is going to be great!"

The group finished their lunches and left the deli, splitting up as instructed. The two couples made their to Beacon together, happy to have some time between just the four of them to talk about things that normally wouldn't be acceptable to talk about with everyone else, ranging from normal relationship stuff to some jokes and comments about their sex life. They arrived back at the dorm building and each went to their respective team's room. Neo wasted no time throwing off her boots and jacket after she got inside. She took off her medal and set it on the table before collapsing onto Weiss' bed.

"Wake me when there's cake," she said, already falling asleep.

"We just had lunch! How can you already want more food?" Weiss asked, and Neo simply shrugged. "You're as bad as Ruby sometimes, you know that? Ugh, I don't get it, why does Nora have to insist on there being a party anyway?"

"Because that's what friends do. Plus, I want a real birthday party for once, and we should celebrate Pyrrha winning the tournament. Again, wake me when there's cake." With that, Neo was out before Weiss had time to object.

When she next opened her eyes, she found herself alone in the room. She yawned and stretched before looking over at the clock. '_Three-thirty, not bad. I should probably go see how the party's coming along._' She put on her boots, grabbed her jacket, and fixed her hair in the mirror before heading down the hall to team JNPR's dorm. She knocked on the door, but there was no answer. Confused, she tried the handle and found it to be locked, so she knocked again.

"What's the password?" an obviously fake deep voice asked from the other side.

Neo rolled her eyes, "Nora, open the door." She heard the deadbolt unlatch and the door slowly cracked open. Nora stood in the doorway with a huffy expression as Neo walked in.

"You're no fun, you know that?" she said, and Neo just laughed. "Next time, the password is pancakes."

'_Of course it is,_' Neo thought with a smile as she looked around the room. Streamers and balloons were hung up everywhere, along with a large banner that read "Congratulations, Pyrrha!" Neo was a little confused how they'd gotten that printed so quickly, but didn't really feel like asking. Her eyes then landed on the large birthday cake on the table, and the small attack on presents on the floor beside.

Ruby gasped as she saw where Neo was looking, "Hey! You shouldn't be in here yet! We're not don't setting up!"

"Please tell me those are for Pyrrha," Neo said, motioning to the boxes with her hand. The tag on one caught her eyes, as it has Weiss' name on it, and she sighed. "You really got us presents? Weiss doesn't want the party in the first place, and she said not to get her anything, she's gonna be mad."

Blake shook her head, "Relax, it'll be fine. I know she said not to, but I think she really does want a nice party."

"Yeah, what she said," Yang added cheerfully. "And if not, more presents for you! Now get out, we'll call you guys when everything's ready."

Neo huffed, "Fine. Where're Weiss, Jaune, and Pyrrha?"

"In the library, I think," Emerald replied. "I think they took the Remnant game board with them."

"Cool, thanks."

Neo left the room and headed over to the library, taking her time as she walked. She's had enough rushing today, as was in no particular hurry to get there. It didn't take long after she'd arrived to find her friends at a table toward the back of the library. Sure enough, they were playing Remnant, and the evil look on Weiss' face gave Neo the impression she was winning. She walked over to the table and took a seat next to Weiss, who had just played a card and was now leaning back in her chair with a smug smile.

"And that's game," she announced before turning to see who had just sat down. "Oh, Neo! I didn't think you'd be awake already. Feeling any better?"

Neo nodded and gave her a peek on the lips, "Mhm! Probably couldn't fight another match today, but I'm definitely not tired anymore. What've you guys been up to?"

"Pretty much just this," Jaune replied. "Weiss has won twice, Pyrrha won once, and I'm still not sure what half the cards do. Wanna join?"

"Sure! Just a heads up: I absolutely suck at this game."

Pyrrha laughed, "Oh come on, I'm sure you're not that bad."

Neo ended up proving her wrong after only six turns, getting knocked out of the game early by Weiss. It wasn't hard for the heiress to win from there with the early advantage of capturing Neo's forces, and she took her third win of the day. The four started another game afterwards, but it was almost immediately interrupted by a message on Jaune's scroll saying to bring everyone back to the room. Weiss did her best to convince Neo not to make her go, going so far as to offer to fly them out in a private airship to a high-class resort for the evening, but Neo managed to get her back to the dorms having only dragged her the first half of the way. They walked through the door of team JNPR's room and were met by a barrage of confetti powers and party favours as they entered.

"Happy birthday!" the six inside cheered, earning a scowl from Weiss.

"I thought this was Pyrrha's party?" she asked, trying to sound as irritated as possible as she picked confetti out of her hair. "And this had better wash out easily!"

Yang rolled her eyes, "Oh lighten up, ice queen. But yes, congratulations Pyrrha!"

"Yeah, congrats!" Ruby added with a wide smile.

"Uh oh," Emerald suddenly said, turning all heads to her. She sighed, smiled, then pointed over to the table with the cake. "I think we got a little carried away with the poppers."

Sure enough, the cake was covered in confetti and coloured string from the poppers. Nora shrugged, "We can scrape that off, no big deal. Now, time for-"

"Hang on a minute," Weiss said, taking a few steps toward the table. She picked up a present from the pile that bared her name, and turned to the group with an angry stare. "I told you guys not to buy me anything! Why was that so hard?"

Again, Nora shrugged, "Well it's your birthday, we had to get you something!"

"Yeah, otherwise it wouldn't feel right," Yang added. "Don't worry, we didn't get anything big or expensive."

Weiss looked furious, but a quick kiss from Neo seemed to calm the fire burning inside her. "Come on, can't you at least try to have fun?" Neo asked. "Or maybe pretend like you are? They worked all afternoon to have this party, you should be happy!"

Weiss sighed, "I guess you're right... Thank you everyone, I'm glad I have friends like you."

"Yay, everyone's happy!" Nora cheered. "Now who wants cake?"

There weren't many takers, but after getting rid of the top layer of icing the cake was once again edible and quickly devoured. Neo had to admit that Blake had been right before, as Weiss did seem to be enjoying herself much more than she had expected. Eventually it came time to open presents, and both of the birthday girls were pleasantly surprised by what they got. There were a few funny t-shirts, desk toys, and other fun little trinkets. The one that stood out the most was a flat, white box that Weiss immediately closed the moment she saw what was inside. Her face turned a bright red, and Neo quickly snatched it to see the contents for herself.

"Oh, that one's from me," Yang said with a mischievous smile, and Neo wasn't sure if she was excited or scared to see what was inside. She lifted the lid and held up a white lace lingerie top, and the colour in her cheeks now matched Ruby's hood. "I thought you two would enjoy that, maybe spice things up a little."

Neo put her face in her hands, "Wow... Just wow... Thank you, Yang, I think."

"Any time! Want me, Blake, and Ruby to hang out here later so you can try it on, if you get my meaning?"

Weiss' face only got redder at the question, "N-No, that won't be necessary. I would never wear something like that."

"Who says you'd be wearing it?" Neo replied with grin. "I bet I'd look damn sexy in it."

"Aaaanyway," Ruby cut in, looking for any way to change the subject. "Apart from Yang's 'gift,' are you guys liking the party so far?"

"Actually, I am," Weiss answered with a smile. "I know I fought you guys on it, but I'm really glad you didn't listen. This has been really nice, so thank you."

"See? I told you," Neo laughed before leaning in to give Weiss a kiss. "And just so you're aware, our wedding reception is basically gonna be a bigger version of this, so it's best you get used to it now."

Weiss gave her an unamused look, "That's different, but I suppose you're right. Alright, what have we got in the way of party games, and who am I going to beat first?"

The afternoon turned into the evening as the party went on, and finally came to end as the group headed out to dinner. As they walked, Neo realised that, for the first time in over a week, she wasn't under any pressure, and it felt wonderful. There was still the looming uncertainty of having to meet Weiss' family this weekend, and she was a little more nervous about it given that they were engaged now. She set those thoughts to the back of her mind for now though, and focused on the more immediate things.

'_I think today went about as well as I'd hoped_,' she thought with a smile. '_I got second place in the tournament, my ribs didn't get broken again, Weiss enjoyed the party, and I finally got to beat the shit out of Neptune. And, on top of everything else, Weiss and I can be as open about our relationship as we want at the ball tomorrow. Best birthday ever._'

**Hi guys! Hope you liked the chapter! As always, leave a review if you've got something to share, and be sure to follow to stay updated! I know I said it before, but now things will be moving back to the more emotional and romantic side. (And hopefully I won't have to write another fucking fight scene for a while :P) Also, I'm starting to reach the end of the story arc I've had in my head for this, and now I'm beginning to think about whether I want to continue with this story, or start a new one once I'm done. I can't really say how many more chapters I intend to write, but it'll be a little while before I'm ready to wrap it up if I decide to. If I do start something new, I'm sure I'll end up coming back to this one eventually, or writing a sequel to it in the future, but I'd like to know what you guys think. After all, I'm writing first for fun, but also for your reading pleasure. I haven't seen a good Freezerburn or Checkmate pairing in a while, and I've got something in mind to run with for both if I end up doing one or the other. Who knows, maybe I'll even get to both in the distant future. If you can't tell, I have a bit of a thing for Weiss. :P Anyway, let me know what you think in the reviews or PM, and I'll see you all next chapter!**


	18. Chapter 18: A Bonding Experience

**WARNING: LONG AUTHOR'S NOTE**

**Aww my little fanfic is turning 18 chapters old. :') Thank you everyone who's read and followed and whatever else, it's awesome to have this still going. When I started writing this, I expected maybe 100 views before it fell off, and now I'm at over 20,000, so thank you to all of you, you're the best!**

**On another note, after much consideration I've decided that once I finish the arc of this story, I will be moving on and starting something new. As I said before, there WILL be a sequel to this story in the future, but I think I'll wait until after volume 3 comes out, and see what I can go along with from the canon for it. Don't worry though, there are still a few chapters to go before this wraps up for now. They may be a little more spread out than usual because of the volume of work I have to do for school right now, but they will continue. Be sure to follow and/or favourite if you want to know the instant updates are posted, and review with any comments, criticisms, questions, blah blah blah you get the idea. Enjoy!**

**TL;DR: Just read the note :P**

Chapter 18: A Bonding Experience

Neo woke up the next day with a smile on her face for a number of reasons. First, she was waking up to her own circadian rhythm for one of the few times this week, which felt fantastic. Second, tonight was the ball, and she couldn't wait to go with Weiss and flaunt their coupliness as much as possible, even if that wasn't really a word, just because it felt so good to finally be able to. And third, she was waking up snuggled up next to her beautiful fiancee. She gave Weiss a gentle kiss on the cheek before slowly sliding her arm out from under the sleeping heiress, doing her best not to wake her. She then tip-toed over to Yang's bed, again trying to make as little noise as possible. She gave the sleeping brawler a few gentle shakes on the shoulder before she finally stirred.

"Wha...? Neo? What time is it?" Yang groaned, not happy to have been woken up.

Neo rolled her eyes, "Half past ten. Come on, you said you'd take me to rent a tux before everyone woke up."

"That's because I didn't think you'd actually be awake before noon to take me up on it... Ten more minutes?"

"Oh get up," Neo said authoritatively, putting her hands on her hips. "Let's go, you promised."

Yang's response was a pillow thrown down at Neo, but eventually she got up and out of bed. The two got dressed and quietly snuck out without waking the rest of the team before heading into town. They were going to the same store that Jaune and Ren had gone to to rent their own tuxes for the dance earlier in the semester, which luckily also catered to women's suits as well. Even so, waiting until the last minute like this would probably mean their selection would be fairly scarce, but Neo didn't seem to mind.

"You do know that if they don't have something in stock you'll have to wear a dress, right?" Yang asked, half joking and half serious.

Neo shrugged, "Or I could just go with a normal suit."

"Neo, you're four foot, nine inches tall. There's not gonna be any tux, suit, or whatever else you can think of for women in your size just laying around. Why did you wait until today to get it anyway?"

"Well I'd planned on going Tuesday, but Cinder had other ideas."

Yang crossed her arms, "Even that's pushing it, you're supposed to go a week or two in advance so they can get something in that's the right size."

"Hey, in my defense, I didn't think we'd even be able to go together," Neo replied as they neared the store. "But yeah, you're probably right. Oh well, let's see what they've got in stock. Who knows, maybe we'll get lucky?"

"If they have a tux in your size, I'll eat my gloves," Yang smirked, and Neo grinned back at her as she held the door open for the blonde.

"I'll hold you to that," Neo said once they were inside. She looked around for an employee, and spotted a girl only a few inches taller than herself coming over to them.

The woman smiled, "Hello, welcome to Thread the Needle! My name's Ginger, how can I help you ladies?"

"My friend here thought she could wait until today to rent a tux," Yang teased, earning a scowl from Neo. "Think you can help her out?"

"I'll do my best," Ginger replied with a light laugh. "Come on, let's get you measured."

Neo nodded, "Sounds good." Ginger led them to a desk near the changing rooms and pulled out a few sheets of paper, along with two different size tape measures. She took various measurements if Neo's arms, chest, waist, legs, and several others places, writing each one down. After she finished, she looked over the results and started scratching her head.

"Well, you don't exactly have the most common dimensions, that's for sure. We don't have anything out on display that would fit you, but I can see if we've got something in the back."

She left the two at the desk and disappeared into a door marked for employees only. Yang looked and Neo and smirked yet again, "Told you. Ready to go dress shopping?"

Neo gave her an unamused stare, "Tell you what, if we can't find a tux to fit me, you can pick my dress."

"Oh really?" Yang asked with an evil smile. "Bad move, Neo. How do you feel about lime green?"

"Meh, I bet I could pull it off. On that note, it's a good thing it's up to Weiss what colour bridesmaid dresses are though."

"Oh, I've been meaning to talk to you about that," Yang said, her tone suddenly turning more serious.

"About what, being a bridesmaid?"

Yang sighed, "Okay, there's no way I can say this in a way that doesn't make me sound like an ass, so I'll just say it. Have you guys ever considered that you're moving a little too fast? Don't get me wrong, I don't doubt that you really do love each other enough to get married, but it's not even been two months, and you haven't even met her parents in person yet. How do you think they're gonna react? I'm not saying you guys shouldn't get married, but... I dunno, it seems like you're really rushing it."

Neo stood perplexed at Yang's question. It wasn't at all what she'd been expecting, and she wasn't really sure how to answer. "I don't understand," she said finally. "You were so excited when we made the announcement."

"I was, and I still am. I think it's incredible you've already found the person you're meant to be with, I'm not arguing that at all. I just think you guys should consider slowing things down a little, maybe not break the news of the engagement to her parents yet, wait a while until you set a date for the wedding. I'm sorry if I come off like a bitch, I'm just trying to look out for you. I don't want you to get married so fast that you regret it, or find something out afterwards that it's too late to do something about."

Neo smiled, "I appreciate the concern, but I don't think it's necessary. We're not planning on having the wedding for a while. Weiss told me last night she wants to wait until after we've graduated from Beacon to have the ceremony, and I agree with her. As for her parents, we are gonna wait for a while to tell them. If they ask about the rings, we're gonna say they're promise rings or something."

"Oh, alright," Yang said with a period smile in return, and pulled Neo in for a hug. "Sorry if the way I sounded was-"

"Don't worry about it, I'm glad you cared enough to say it. To be honest, I was actually a little surprised it hadn't come up before from any of you guys."

Yang went to say something as they broke the embrace, but wasn't given the chance as Ginger returned with a smile and a garment bag. "You're in luck," she said happily. "We had this one returned about a half hour ago, it should fit you quite nicely. Here, go in one of the changing rooms and try it on."

Neo eagerly obliged, snatching the bag and dashing into one of the rooms. The shirt was a little tight around the chest, but nothing too uncomfortable. She speedily changed and stepped out to take a look at herself on the multi-mirrored platform outside. It was a pretty standard tux, nothing particularly special, but she still loved the way she looked in it.

"I like it," Neo said before turning to Yang with the same evil look she'd been given earlier. "How're those gloves tasting, Blondie?"

Yang made a face, "Oh shut up. You look really nice though, Weiss is a lucky lady."

Neo grinned, "Thank you. Alright, let's pay and get back to the room, we might still be able to catch the rest of the group for lunch." That didn't turn out to entirely be the case, as it was past noon by the time they got back to Beacon. Most of their friends had already eaten, but Emerald and Pyrrha had slept in past everyone else, so they were more than happy to join them for lunch.

"So are you guys excited for the ball tonight?" Emerald asked once they had all gotten their trays and sat down in the dining hall. Today the buffet was a pancake brunch, which made them all a little disappointed to have missed the tornado of a sugar rush that had been Nora earlier, but there would be plenty of opportunities to see that again.

Neo nodded, "You bet. Weiss and I can finally act like a couple out in public and not care who sees. Will you be there?"

"Probably not," Emerald replied, shaking her head. "Dances aren't really my thing, especially since I don't have a date."

"Well go ask someone!" Yang enthusiastically suggested.

Emerald looked at her as if she'd lost her mind, "Are you kidding? The only people I know here are you guys, for the most part at least. I don't really know any guys well enough to ask them."

Pyrrha shrugged, "Maybe you'll find someone once you're there? And even if you don't, I'm sure you'll still have a good time. You can hang out with all of us."

"I know, but all of you have dates, I don't wanna be the odd one out."

"I don't have a date," Yang pointed out with a smile. "Come on, we can be two single ladies picking up cute guys together. Sound like fun?"

"Well... alright, I'll give it a try," Emerald replied with a smile, which quickly turned sour. "Oh wait, shit, I don't have a dress. It was back at the warehouse."

"Okie dokie, then I know what we're doing this afternoon. Good thing you're a normal size, or else we'd have to count on you getting as lucky as Neo."

"Speaking of which," Neo interjected with a mischievous grin. "I see one thing on your tray you still have to eat."

"What? But my tray's empty," Yang said in confusion. She looked dorm at her cleaned plates for a moment before realising her gloved hands were currently resting on her tray. "Oh ha ha, very funny."

Neo smiled, "Hey, a bet's a bet. I would've let you pick my dress, now eat up."

Yang scowled for a minute before slowly pulling the glove off her left hand. As expected she wasn't actually able to eat them, but watching her try provided a good laugh for the other three girls. After lunch Emerald went into town with Yang to pick out a new dress, so Neo and Pyrrha decided to head back to the dorms to see what the rest of their teammates were up to. Neo arrived back in the room to find Blake reading in bed as usual, Ruby doing some work on Crescent Rose, and assumed from the running water in the bathroom that Weiss was in the shower.

"Hey, you're back!" Ruby cheerfully greeted her. "Wow, you actually managed to find a tux on this short notice? How many places did you have to go to?"

Neo couldn't help but laugh as she hung the garment bag on the outside of her dresser, "First place we went, I'm just that lucky."

"Yeah, no kidding. Well, sorry to run out the instant you get back, but I need to test out some improvements I made on Crescent Rose before the workshop closes. I'll see you guys later!"

"Have fun!" Neo called out as her leader departed. "So Blake, what're your plans for the day?"

The Faunus girl shrugged and kept her eyes glued to her book, "Not much. Sun and I are going into town soon to get him some new shoes and a new tie, don't ask about what happened to the other ones." As if on queue there was a knock at the door, and Sun walked in after Neo went over to open it. Blake immediately jumped out of bed to greet him with a quick kiss before putting on her boots and heading out.

'_Wow, she must really like him if she'll stop reading like that,_' Neo thought with small laugh. '_Okay, now what to do for the afternoon..._'

She looked around the room for a few seconds before she noticed the shower was still running in bathroom, and a devious smile spread across her face as she stealthily walked over to the bathroom door and tried the knob. To her surprise it was unlocked, so she cracked the door and peered inside. Weiss was standing under the showerhead with her back to the door, so Neo crept inside, using the sound of the water hitting the tile to mask her opening and closing the door, as well as getting undressed. Neo then walked over to the oblivious heiress and gave her a playful slap on the butt to alert her to her presence.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Weiss exclaimed, jumping a foot in the air as she spun around to see who had come inside. "Oh, Neo. God damn it, don't do that! You scared the shit out of me."

Neo smiled innocently and shrugged as she joined Weiss under the stream of water, "Just thought you might like some company."

"You're such a child," Weiss replied before giving Neo a kiss and putting her hands on the girl's slender hips. "But I love you. Wait, should you really be in here with Blake and Ruby outside?"

Neo smiled and kissed her back, her own hands moving up the length of the heiress' waist. "No, they both left. Yang is out too, so it's just us."

"Oh really? Well in that case, I think we should dry off and make the most of our time alone."

"Aww, you don't wanna fool around in here?"

Weiss rolled her eyes, "Well if we have the room to ourselves, we should use it to our advantage. Plus, we'll probably need another shower afterwards."

"Oh, okay. Sounds like a plan," Neo grinned. She reached over and turned off the water before stepping on the floor mat and grabbing two towels. She tossed one to Weiss before quickly drying herself off. She went to grab her clothes out of habit, but then turned to Weiss and laughed. "Guess I can just leave these in here."

The heiress laughed as well as she pulled Neo out the door and over to her bed. Neo wasted no time in pushing Weiss down onto the covers and climbing next to her. It felt a little strange to already be naked, but if anything she found it sexier than usual. Of course, it did mean that there would be no sensuality to undressing each other, but they didn't mind. Instead, the two lay beside each other, cupping the other's face in their hands as they shared a long and tender kiss. That soon gave way to a much more heated embrace as Neo rolling on top of Weiss, pinning the heiress' arms above her head as they continued their kiss.

Neo grinned, "So, who do you want in bed this time? Me or Beo?"

Weiss huffed and went to give an answer as if it were so obvious what she would say, but stopped herself, making Neo giggle again. "Hmm, I didn't think I'd actually have to think about it. I am up for something a little... kinkier than normal, but I'm not sure if I want Beo you have that sort of power over me."

The last part peeked Neo's interest, and she looked at Weiss with an amused smile, "Oh really? Please, tell me more."

"Um... Well..." Weiss said shyly, blushing and looking away. "I was talking with Pyrrha the other day, and we got on the topic of bedroom stuff. She was saying that she and Jaune had tried... bondage, and that it was actually fun, and I... I kinda want to try it. What do you think?"

"I'd be up for that. Would you wanna be the one tied up, or me?"

Weiss blushed more intensely at the question, "I uh... I guess me, that's why I'm not sure if I want Beo being in control."

"I know she's crazy, but she'd stop if you said to," Neo said with a comforting smile. She got up and went the drawer where Ruby had put the extra rope from setting up the bunkbeds, and set it on the nightstand before climbing back into bed. "It's up to you. Kiss gently for me, go nuts for Beo."

Weiss took a moment to think it over before turning to Neo with a lustful look in her eyes. She pounced on top of her, kissing her hungrily. Neo smiled and quickly succumbed to the transition as Beo took over. She flipped the two of them around, retaking dominant position over Weiss. "Hi honey, ready to have some fun?"

"I am," Weiss replied with a grin. "But just to be clear, if I say to stop, you'll untie me, right?"

"I mean, I guess, but where's the fun in that?" Beo said, rolling her eyes. "Don't worry, just speak up if you're really uncomfortable. Now, let's do this. Do you wanna be tied to the posts, or just like, wrists together?"

Weiss shrugged, her cheeks still a deep red, "I don't know, surprise me?"

Beo grinned and gave Weiss a soft kiss before snatching the lengths of rope. She went to work securing Weiss' wrists together before lashing the rope to the centre of the headboard. Her legs followed, one at a time to the respective bedpost on either side, and now the heiress was completely at Beo's mercy. "How does that feel?"

"Um..." Weiss replied, tugging experimentally on the bonds and settling in against the sheets. "It feels... strange. It's... wrong, but oddly sexy at the same time."

Beo rolled her eyes again, "I meant is it too tight, silly."

"Oh... No, it's fine."

"Alrighty then, let's get started," Beo replied, eagerly rubbing her hands together.

* * *

The two lay there planting for a few moments before Neo turned to Weiss with a shy smile. "So, was out everything you'd hoped for?" she asked, giving the heiress a soft kiss before starting to untie the knots on her ankles.

"That was... incredible," Weiss replied, still breathing heavily. "Next time I think you'll be the one all tied up."

Neo grinned, "Works for me. Maybe I can wear that lingerie next time too."

"I wouldn't say no to that, but for now let's get these ropes off and get in the shower before someone comes back."

Neo shrugged, "Relax, no one's gonna be back this soon. We might even have time to-"She was cut short by the sound of the doorknob turning, and spun around to see an irritated Ruby walk through.

"Bah, the workshop was already closed, guess I'll-" she said before her eyes fell on the couple in Weiss' bed. She froze, as did they, all of their faces turning colour to match that of her cloak. Weiss' wrists were still bound to the headboard, and Neo was kneeling beside her with the glistening dildo in hand. "I uh, I'm gonna go," Ruby said quickly before dashing back out the door, leaving a trail of rose petals behind her.

"Well fuck..." Neo sighed, turning to Weiss with an apologetic smile. "That's gonna be awkward."

"IT ISN'T ALREADY?" Weiss shrieked, violently embarrassed from being seen in this position. "For God's sake, untie me so we can get dressed and run after her to apologise!"

Neo nodded and finished undoing the knots on Weiss' feet and wrists. They ran to the bathroom and changed back into their clothes before racing out of the room and off to follow Ruby's trail of rose petals. To their dismay, it led right across the hall to team to team JNPR's room, and the couple exchanged a nervous look before knocking on the door. "Who is it?" Pyrrha called out from inside.

"Neo and Weiss. Is Ruby in there with you?" Neo asked.

After a moment of silence the door opened, and Pyrrha stood to greet them on the other side. "Yes, she just came here. She looks like she's seen a ghost, what happened?"

Weiss groaned and put her head in her hands, humiliated that not only had her leader walked in on her and Neo, but now team JNPR would know about it as well. Neo just smiled and shook her head, "Boy, do we have a story for you."


	19. Chapter 19: Having a Ball

Chapter 19: Having a Ball

"Attention team RWBY! I hereby put into effect the new Relationship Rules of the Room!" Ruby announced to her gathered teammates as she taped a freshly printed sheet of paper up on the wall.

Weiss huffed and crossed her arms, "I hardly think that's necessary. We thought you'd be out longer, it was a simple mistake."

Ruby shrugged, "Regardless, I'd rather not have to see the next time you make the same 'mistake.' Besides, this also applies to Blake and Sun, and Yang and... whoever."

"Hey!" Yang pouted. "I don't sleep around that much. Besides, I always go back to the guy's place. Makes it easier to-"

"I don't really wanna know about it, sis," Ruby interrupted, plugging her ears with her fingers. While she didn't actually think Yang was going to say sometime obscene, she was still on edge and a little scarred from earlier. "Anyway, here are the new rules: First, all other teammates must be told at least thirty minutes in advance of any 'activities.' Second, in case someone doesn't receive a message, a sock will be hung on the doorknob to alert them."

"Really?" Blake asked. "That seems a little... obvious. I appreciate not wanting people up walk in, but doesn't that kind of broadcast what's happening to everyone going by?"

"I agree, it should at least be something else besides a sock," Weiss added.

Ruby looked around for a few seconds before walking over and snatching a Beacon Academy keychain of the table. "Alright, how about we use this? No one else will know what it means, but if we see it on the door we'll know not to go in."

Yang grinned, "Beacon Academy? More like Bangin' Academy, am I right?"

Neo smiled and shook her head while the rest of the team groaned. "We need a spray bottle for when you do that."

"Wouldn't that be more appropriate for when Blake misbehaves?"

The Faunus girl rolled her eyes, "No, because I'm not the one making terrible puns."

"Anyway, back to the new rules," Ruby interjected, trying to get back on topic. "Third, roommates reserve the right to decline leaving the room if done so during the initial thirty minutes. Everyone okay with those?"

Everyone nodded in agreement, even the reluctant couple. That brought an end to the awkward topic, which Weiss was incredibly relieved about, and now the afternoon could continue as planned. The ball wouldn't allow guests in until five o'clock, although dinner wouldn't actually be served until six. It was almost four o'clock now, which meant that half the team needed to start getting ready if they wanted to arrive on time. Weiss and Yang got started with their makeup and hair, while Ruby, Blake, and Neo chatted and relaxed. Ruby and Blake joined their teammates around quarter after, but Neo continued to lay in bed. It wasn't until the other girls started helping each other with their dresses that Neo finally got into her tux, making sure to gloat at how little time it took her. She didn't do much in the way of makeup, so that also cut her time needed significantly.

After everyone had finished their preparations, they met up with the equally spiffy team JNPR and made their way outside. Team SSSN was waiting for them outside, with Sun surprising everyone by actually wearing a proper suit, long pants and everything. Neptune gave an awkward nod hello to Neo as she passed, and she responded with a warm smile. Despite what had happened, she couldn't hold a grudge after she had nearly murdered him. Even so, she knew she would've fought in much the same way as he did for Weiss if their places had been reversed. That didn't mean there wasn't a slight lingering awkwardness between them, and the group as a whole for that matter, but Neo was willing to put it behind them so they could move on.

The airship ride to the ball wasn't too long, but still gave the group a fair amount of time to chat before they arrived. The discussion was mostly about how excited they were for tonight, which was very understandable since two of them were the top two finishers in tournament. That meant they would receive a sort of VIP treatment, which included things like a private dining table for them and their team and being the first allowed onto the floor to dance. At last they arrived and disembarked, and started to make their way to the venue hosting the ball. Normally this ballroom was used for things like wedding receptions and other prestigious events, so it had more than enough space and class to host this ball.

The three teams checked in a little late thanks to the bustle of everyone trying to getting inside, but still arrived before dinner was served, and were led into the main hall. Team SSSN was directed toward their table in ballroom, while RWBY and JNPR were shown to their private booth on the raised front of the room. They opted to sit together, and the waiters quickly brought out the menus for the evening. The list of entrees wasn't particularly long, but had enough of a selection that everyone found something they'd enjoy, with Yang making her usual jokes about Blake ordering fish. The food was brought out fairly quickly, and the group picked back up on an earlier discussion as they started eating, although it was one that probably would've been better to have left alone.

"Who are my choices again?" Yang asked through a mouthful of steak, looking across the table at Nora.

"It's Professor Ozpin, Professor Port, and Professor Oobleck," the redhead replied with an evil smile.

Yang groaned, "Alright, ummm... Marry Ozpin, kill Port, fuck Oobleck. Happy?"

Pyrrha almost choked on her pasta after hearing the response, "Wait, what? Oobleck? Really?"

"I mean, it's either him or Ozpin," Yang replied with an innocent shrug. "To be honest, as long as I don't have to hear another of Port's lectures, I'd fuck all of 'em if I had to."

Ruby made a face, "Ewww, come on, we're all eating, sis. That's not a picture any of us want in our heads. Anyone have a different subject we can switch to? Please?"

"How about the fact that Nora and Ren are holding hands under the table?" Jaune ventured with a sly grin. All eyes immediately turned to the duo in question, who had frozen in the middle of bringing their forks up to their mouths.

Neo raised her eyebrows, "How about it you two? Anything you'd like to share?"

Ren blushed and cleared his throat, "Um, we uh..."

"Oh alright," Nora interrupted with a slightly irritated look on her face. It didn't stay that way for long, as her usual smile found its way back out. "We were gonna wait until the actual dance, but yes, we're finally official!"

"That's wonderful!" Pyrrha said after the congratulations from everyone else had died down. "Tell us everything! When did this happen? Who asked who?"

"He asked me last night. It was so romantic! It felt like something right out of a fairy princess movie!" A few quizzical looks were directed at Ren, who just shrugged and went back to eating. Nora giggled and gave him a peck on the cheek before getting back to her own plate, ignoring the puzzled faces of her friends altogether. Dinner resumed with the new relationship at the forefront of the discussion as the group slowly pried some sensible answers out, which evolved into just a general discussion of everyone's relationships by the time dessert was brought out. Ruby left a little left out, but of course Yang didn't seem to mind that.

After finishing their meal the two teams continued to talk while the staff began to open up the floor for the dance itself. The sound system, lights, and everything else were given a final check before it was time to get the ball underway. Professor Ozpin, along with General Ironwood and the usual group of adults, came up to the the front of the room, and Ozpin was the one to get on the microphone and get things started.

"Good evening everyone, and welcome to the official beginning of the Vytal Festival Ball," the headmaster announced, earning a round of applause for the attendees. "I know you don't want to hear me give another speech tonight, so I'll get right to it and kick off the dance. As always, the three finalists of the tournament will be the first on the floor, so allow me to bring them out. Finishing in third place, Damien Sepharin, accompanied by Garnet Celestite."

The pair walked out onto the dance floor to another set of applause, with Garnet sending jaws dropping to the floor as she strode past. Neo leaned over to Yang and whispered, "Damn, you might have some competition for being the prettiest girl here. I wonder if she'd get more guys than you if she weren't with that Damien kid."

The blonde smirked, "That is a challenge, and I accept it."

"Next," Ozpin continued, "Is our second place finisher, Neopolitan, accompanied by Weiss Schnee."

Neo smiled at Weiss as they walked hand in hand to join the other pair on the floor. Neo made sure to give the heiress a long kiss once they had taken their spot, loving the fact that they could. Ozpin gave them an amused smile before finishing, "And finally our champion, Pyrrha Nikos, accompanied by Jaune Arc." The last couple walked out to thunderous cheers, and stood beside Neo and Weiss. "Now, I'm sure all of you are eager to dance, so once the DJ begins our first song the winners will lead, and the rest of you may then follow. DJ, if you would, please?"

The first track was a slow song for the finalists and their partners, who enjoyed having the spotlight on them for the first part of the song until the rest of the students joined them. The next song was a new, upbeat release by the Achieve Men, which instantly put everyone in the mood to have fun. Ten more songs went by, and Neo and Weiss finally had to take a break to stop, sit down, and catch their breath. Neo was having a blast, and judging by the smile on Weiss' face, so was she. "I think I could use a glass of water. Want me to get you one?" Weiss offered.

Neo smile and shook her head, "No thanks, I'm alright." Weiss shrugged and got up before making her way across the room to the refreshment table, leaving Neo alone with her thoughts for a minute.

'_This is fantastic, we all really needed this. The road to get here was a little rough, but I wouldn't change a thing about it. Sucks that we have to go to class again next week though, but oh well, beats another week of tournament matches. Although, that does mean I have to survive this weekend with Weiss' family first... You know, I really shouldn't be this nervous about it. After everything I've been through just in this week alone, meeting Weiss' mom should be a fucking walk in the park. I guess I'm afraid she won't like me, but so what? It's not like we're about to split up if she doesn't approve. Granted, she could-_'

A sudden tapping on her shoulder brought Neo out of her thoughts, and she spun around to see Neptune standing behind her with a solemn expression. "Hey, what's up?" she asked with a hint of confusion.

He sighed and sat in the chair to her right, "Hey, I wanted to apologise to you about... well, everything I guess. I don't expect you to forgive me after what I did, but I hope we can try to go back to being friends. I-"

"Neptune, it's alright," Neo interrupted with a comforting smile. "I'm not mad. I mean, I guess I'm a little mad at you for cheating, but not about Weiss. I would've acted the same way."

"Yeah, well, cheating and going after her are kinda related. After I heard about you needing to win, I somehow convinced myself that if I won instead of you, that Weiss would go for me instead... I dunno, at the time it all made sense in my head. It was a really shitty thing to do, I feel horrible about it now. If there's anything I can do to make it up to you, don't hesitate to tell me."

Neo's smile didn't fade, "Really, it's fine, don't worry about it. The story of my life is second chances, and I'm more than willing to look past this. But, I need your word that it won't happen again, alright? I know I made that pretty clear after our match, but I just want to reaffirm it."

Neptune nodded, "I swear, you won't have to worry about me trying to get between you and Weiss ever again. I've learned my lesson, you're not someone to fuck with."

"Damn right," Neo replied with a cocky smile. "So are you having a good time here?"

Before Neptune could respond, Emerald came sprinting over to the two, clutching her scroll with a worried look in her eye. "Neo, you have to read this," she said, handing her scroll. "Neptune, do you mind giving us a minute alone?"

"Yeah, no problem. I'll catch you guys later," he said before standing up and walking off.

"What's going on?" Neo asked with a look of concern as she looked down at the scroll. "It's a message from someone with an Atlas area code. Emerald, meet at the docks in thirty minutes. Bring Neo... That's weird, who sent it?"

Emerald shrugged and put the scroll back in her pocket. "No clue. Do you think we should go?"

"You're joking, right?" Neo sceptically replied. "We're kind of at a dance right now, not to mention you just said you have no idea who that is. What if it's a trap or something?"

"But who would do that? There's no way Cinder survived that explosion, and Roman was dead before it even went off. Who does that leave that would be after us?"

Neo shrugged, "I don't know, but it still seems like a really bad idea if we don't know this person. Can you reply and ask who it is?"

Emerald nodded and sent a message back to the anonymous sender. About fifteen seconds later her scroll buzzed with a new message. "You'll see. Docks in thirty."

"I don't like it," Neo said, shaking her head. "But, if they already have your number then I doubt they'll have much trouble finding us themselves if we don't show. Here, tell them we'll come after the dance is over. We'll have our teams trail behind us in case."

"What happened to not wanting to go?"

"I want to know who it is and why they want to talk to us. And besides, if whoever it is is trying to meet with us, then they'll do it eventually. It'll be better to know we have backup in case something goes wrong."

Emerald reluctantly agreed and sent the reply. The person messaged back agreeing to the new time, and the two ran over to their teams to tell them what was going on. As expected, both teams were very apprehensive about the meeting, but eventually agreed it was better to find out who this person was now rather than later. With that strange disruption out of the way, the ball returned to normal. A slow dance came on not long after, and Neo was quick to pull Weiss back out onto the floor to dance.

"So, are you having a good time?" Neo asked once they'd settled in to the rhythm of the song.

Weiss nodded, "I am, this is a very well organised event. Personally, I think Yang and I did a better job with our dance a few months ago, but this is still pretty nice."

"Pretty nice? This is amazing and you know it," Neo laughed. "So... have you put any more thought into this weekend?"

"Not really, no. What brought that up?"

Neo shrugged, "I dunno, it's been on my mind a lot today. I'm really worried about meeting your mom. What if I can't get her to like me? Your dad looked really stressed last time we called him, like they'd been fighting about it, and I'd hate to be the reason for that."

"Just be yourself," Weiss said with a reassuring smile. "You really do have a way with people, I'm sure my mother won't be the exception. And if she is, try your sad puppy eyes on her, they seem to work on everyone else."

"They're gonna work tonight, that's for sure," Neo said with a wink and a clever smile. "But really, what if nothing works?"

"Then she'll just have to get used to it because quite frankly, I don't care if she approves or not. I've been through too much with you to let her decide whether or not we can be together. Hell, I wouldn't even listen to my father at this point. I love you, and that's all that matters. When I agreed to marry you, I made the commitment that we'd be together forever, and I intend to honour that. Granted we won't actually be getting married for some time, but still."

Neo grinned, "I love you too. So speaking of that, what was our story again if your parents ask about the rings?"

"I'll say I bought them as a present for winning the tournament," Weiss replied. "Or maybe for our birthday, that'd make more sense for them being a matching pair. That sounds better, I'm going with the birthday one."

"Works for me."

The song ended and the girls got back with the rest of the group. Ren and Nora were still out dancing, which earned a chorus of aww's from their friends. Neo was excited to see them finally get together, but clearly not as much as the rest of the group, who had been shipping them together since day one. The night went on and eventually came to an end after several more rounds of dancing and mingling. Professor Ozpin brought Pyrrha up to the front to help him on ending the ball, and at last it was time for everyone to make their way home. That is, everyone expect teams RWBY and JNPR.

"Are you sure about this?" Pyrrha asked nervous as the two teams strayed from the crowd of students who were making their way to the airships. "You don't know who this person is, what if they're dangerous?"

Neo rolled her eyes, "Seriously? I think we've fought enough dangerous people and things to handle this if something happens. Besides, that's why we're bringing you guys. You're our backup, so start acting tougher."

"If you're sure, just be on your toes."

They made the short walk through town until they reached the port district. The lights were a little dimmer here, adding to the already sketchy ambiance, but no one seemed to be overly bothered by it. They were Huntsman and Huntresses after all, and nothing hiding in these streets could rival what they'd already been up against. "Here we are," Neo said as they arrived at the entrance to the docks. "You guys wait up here, Emerald and I will go in alone. If you see something happen, then come in. Hopefully that won't be the case, but you never know."

Ruby nodded, "Alright, but be careful. I have a really bad feeling about this."

Neo and Emerald exchanged a nervous look before walking down to the open centre of the loading dock. There were shipping crates piled up all around them, putting the two on edge as they could easily be used to conceal someone's positions, our many people's. Emerald pulled out her scroll and sent a message saying they had arrived, and waited for a response. When it came, she read it aloud. "Sorry about the sketchiness, I'll be out in a minute."

"Remind me, why are we doing this again?" Neo asked.

"Beats me, it was your idea to actually come here," Emerald replied. "Seemed like a bad idea then, still seems like a bad idea now."

Neo went to say something in response, but the sound of someone clearing their throat from behind stopped her and made the two girls jump and spin around. "Whoops, didn't mean to scare you," Mercury said with his usual band of sarcasm.

"Mercury?" Neo asked in disbelief, taking a step back. "B-But, I don't understand, the warehouse-"

"I got out before it blew up. By the way, Emerald, I really appreciate you leaving me to die in the hallway."

Emerald glared at him, "You didn't really leave me much of a choice. I-"

"That's not important," Neo interrupted, not taking her eyes off Mercury. She was still on edge about the whole meeting, and wanted answers. "Why did you call us out here?"

He sighed, "Well, after the warehouse I tried up find you guys. I stowed away on a boat to get here, but I've been stuck hiding out here on the docks since because the damn guards in the city know my face. Not human guards either, the robots that don't think when they see a wanted, dangerous terrorist and just shoot. I haven't eaten, I'm sleeping on the fucking concrete, it sucks. I don't exactly have someone else I can turn to besides you two."

"What do you expect us to do? And why did you wait until now to send that message?" Emerald asked with a sceptical face.

"I stole a scroll from a dock worker earlier, which is why I'm assuming you didn't recognise the number. I didn't want to say it was me at first because I didn't think you'd come. I'll give it back the guy, don't worry."

Neo's face softened, "Why did you think we wouldn't help you? We've known each other for years, we're always there for each other."

"We didn't exactly leave on the best of terms," Mercury replied, directing it mostly toward Emerald. "It's my fault, but still. I should've helped you two back there, and I'm sorry."

Emerald wasn't convinced. Most of it was likely just her picking sibling-like feud with Mercury, which shouldn't play into her judgment right now, but she nevertheless it did. "Why should we believe you?" she asked. "You're only sorry because you lost and now you're shit outta luck. If the warehouse were still standing, you'd happily still be with Cinder."

"Oh, and if Neo hadn't been kidnapped you wouldn't?"

"I... Well..."

"Guys, quit it," Neo snapped like a mother scolding her arguing children. "Mercury, what exactly are you asking us to do?"

He shrugged, "I really don't know. I can't exactly stay in the city, and the boats leaving from here are too well guarded to sneak back on now. I don't want to keep hiding, or running, but I don't think I have much of an option."

"I bet I know someone who could help with that," Neo grinned. Mercury gave her a quizzical look, while Emerald looked at her as if she'd lost her mind.

"You can't be serious," the green-haired girl said. "He tried to kill us, you're really gonna trust him that easily?"

Neo smiled and nodded, "Yup. Like I keep saying, without a second chance I wouldn't be here and neither would you. Besides, of all people I'd think you'd be more inclined to side him than anyone."

Emerald couldn't deny what was being said, and gave a somewhat reluctant nod. Neo motioned for Mercury to come over to her as she pulled out her scroll and starting scrolling through her contact list. She found the name she was looking for and tapped the icon beside it to start the call. After a few seconds, a familiar voice came over the speakerphone. "Good evening, Neo," Professor Ozpin greeted her. "Did you enjoy yourself at the ball?"

"Yeah, it was great," she happily replied. "Steak was a little underseasoned, but oh well."

He chuckled, "Well, I'm glad to hear you had fun. So to what do I owe the pleasure of this call? I'm assuming you weren't just looking to chat, but I'm not opposed either way."

Neo grinned, "I wanted to take you up on your offer from the other day, the one about getting my own team."

**Neo, Emerald, and Mercury on a team? Sounds exciting, do you guys think it'll work out? ;) Anyway, thanks for reading guys, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Sorry it's a little short, but school is taking the priority right now since I'm sort of failing calc. :P Also, I've started working on my next story in between writing this one, and I'd say it's coming along rather well. I might start releasing chapters before I finish things here, so be on the look out for that. If you want, you can follow me as an author to see when I put out new stuff. I'll leave you with a little sneak peak of chapter one of my next story here, which I have yet to think of a good title for, and I'll see you next time when Neo finally meets the Schnee family!**

The spring semester at Beacon was only a week away, and the students were slowly getting ready to return to their normal routine of classes. That is, except for team RWBY. After their recent encounter with Roman Torchwick at the docks, some of them were more interested in answers, Blake in particular. Still, today they were trying to relax, but a food fight with team JNPR today at lunch seemed to have put an end to that, at least for the time being. The team burst through the doors of their room, all for girls covered in bits of food and splashes of drinks. While three of them didn't seem to phased by the mess, the fourth looked on the verge of screaming.

"I'm telling you, this grape soda colour is not going to come out of my hair!" Weiss exclaimed, making a bee line for her dresser. She grabbed a new set of clothes, along with shampoo, soap, and towels, before trudging over to the bathroom.

Yang couldn't help but laugh, "I dunno, I think purple would suit you pretty well." The heiress shot her a dirty look before slamming the bathroom door behind her. "Sheesh, she needs to lighten up a little. She can be such a party pooper."

"Oh come on, she's not that bad," Ruby replied, although she couldn't entirely disagree.

"Meh, I suppose. Hey Blake, where'd you put my shampoo after you borrowed it?"

"Huh?" the Faunus girl asked as she snapped out of a daydream. "Oh, it's over on my dresser."

Ever since her fight at the docks, Blake's thoughts had been everywhere but where they needed to be. The White Fang's involvement with whatever Roman was up to worried her considerably, and it was really starting to show in her physical appearance. Of course, that wasn't the only thing on her mind, but she wanted the other to stay a secret for as long as possible.

Yang smiled, "Perfect, thanks! Hey, do you think Weiss would mind if I went in to join her? There are three shower heads after all."

"I don't think that's a good idea," her sister replied with an expression somewhere between amused and grossed out.

"Awww... alright," the blonde huffed. Blake and Ruby both gave her a quizzical look, to which she rolled her eyes. "What? I wanna get all this food off me before it dries, and I've got dust and shit in my hair from going through the ceiling."

"I wouldn't be opposed," Blake said under her breath, though mostly to herself. Luckily, none of her teammates heard. She wasn't about to say anything, not yet at least, but Roman wasn't the only person on her mind. She'd been having a lot of strange dreams lately. They all revolved her being in a relationship with a certain girl, whom she found herself falling for more and more with each passing day. Some of them were innocent enough, just the two of them together on a walk, or having dinner at a nice restaurant. On the other hand, some of them involved nothing but pure sex and fantasy. The fact that it was a girl wasn't what bothered her, she'd been bisexual for a few years now, rather it was the girl that she now couldn't seem to get out of her head that was causing the problem.

Weiss emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, and Blake rushed in to take her spot before either of the other girls had the chance to oppose. She undressed and threw her likely ruined outfit on the hamper after turning on the water to let it heat up before she got in. Since she wasn't the first one in here it didn't take long, and she let the hot water cascade over her shoulders as she took a moment to relax and clear her head.

'_It still smells like Weiss in here,_' she immediately thought, bringing a small smile to her face. '_No, damn it, I need to stop thinking about her. They're just dreams, not real... And even if I wanted them to be real... it would just never happen. She's so... cold, and mean, and proper, and beautiful... Fuck! I have to do something about this, but what? There's no way I can tell her, not after the way she reacted to me being a Faunus. Maybe I can talk to someone? Gah! Why is this even bothering me so much? She's not the first person I've had a crush on, but this is just so... different somehow.'_

She shook her head before putting it under the water and letting it flow through her raven-coloured locks. To her dismay, the food in her hair had already dried, and it took her over fifteen minutes to scrub all of it out along with what was caked on the rest of her body. On the bright side, she didn't spend any of that time thinking about Weiss. After finishing her shower, she dried off and put on her new clothes before coming out and giving Yang the chance to clean herself up, followed afterward by Ruby.


	20. Chapter 20: Meeting the Folks

Chapter 20: Meeting the Folks

"And with that lovely speech from General Ironwood, it's time to bring the Vytal Festival to its official close," Professor Ozpin announced as his colleague stepped away from the podium. It was about quarter past noon on Friday, and all of the students visiting from all schools were once again gathered for the closing ceremony. "I hope that this event has helped to strengthen our bonds between friends, students, and schools. It's rare that these kinds of festivities will be presented to you in your future careers as Huntsman and Huntresses, so take these opportunities to spend time with the people you care about the most. Now, before I let the chairmen take over to bring the festival to an end, we have a new team joining our ranks here at Beacon, and I'll take this time to call them up."

"That's right," Ironwood added, walking back beside Ozpin. "Two of these students arrived during the year and did not have proper teams until now, while the other two only officially enrolled last night. Headmaster, the honour is yours."

Ozpin wore his usual amused smile at Ironwood's interjection, and lightly shook his head, "Thank you, James. Now then, our newest team." At that, Neo, Emerald, Mercury, and the latest new addition to Beacon at the general's strong request, made their way up on the raised platform and stood in line facing out to the crowd. "Neopolitan, Emerald Sustrai, Mercury Black, and Penny Polendria. The four of you have shown immense talent, and I'm very pleased to officially welcome you to my school. From now on, you will work together as team NEMP, pronounced Nemesis, led by Neopolitan. While a little unorthodox to have a silent letter, I decided on the name before Penny's late addition, and I could not find a word that included the letter 'P'. General Ironwood can attest to how long I spent trying to find one. Regardless, I wish you all the best of luck for your time here at Beacon."

The crowd of students gave a large rounds of applause for the new team as they made their way back to their place among the crowd. "Congratulations!" Ruby said excitedly once the new team had returned. "Penny, why didn't you tell me you were enrolling here?"

"I didn't know until today," Penny replied. "General Ironwood only informed me of my transfer this morning. I'm so excited to be here with all of you! We're going to be best friends and see each other all the time!"

Yang looked confused, "Why would Ironwood of all people want you in Beacon so suddenly?"

"Fifty Lien says it's it keep an eye on us," Neo replied. "He trusts me, but I doubt that extends to Emerald, and there's no way in hell it extends to Mercury. When he found out we were all on a team together he probably had a heart attack."

Penny cocked her head to the side, "I don't understand, why would he not trust you?"

"How much time have you got?" Mercury chuckled. "The short version is we're all ex-criminals, me being the latest to come over. Not exactly the most trustworthy trio you'll ever meet."

"Oh," Penny said before turning back to Ruby. "Do you think the general shouldn't trust them?"

Ruby shook her head, "No, there's nothing to worry about. Neo's one of the nicest people I've ever met, and Emerald is up there too. I haven't had much time to talk to Mercury, but he's a pretty nice guy too."

"Okay then. If Ruby trusts you, then so do I! Go team NEMP!"

The group returned their attention to Professor Ozpin as he continues to speak, followed by a few others before the festival was officially brought to a close. The students went around saying goodbyes to visiting teams and new friends before they made their way to the airport to return to their respective schools. Team SSSN was one of those teams returning home, which did not sit well with Blake. She made him promise to call her every day, and after quite a few long hugs the two finally separated so team SSSN could board the airship back to Haven Academy. The remaining three teams then headed back to the dorms to relax for the time being, although Weiss and Neo needed to start packing for their weekend trip home.

Team NEMP had been assigned a took a few doors down from team JNPR, which made everyone happy that they were so close. Weiss was rather disappointed that she and Neo wouldn't be sharing a bed every night, but Neo pointed out that she could still come over whenever she wanted. After helping everyone get moved into their new room, Neo immediately got to packing her suitcase before she forgot. Even though she travelled fairly light, she still didn't want to wait until the last minute for fear of forgetting something important.

"Think you guys can handle a weekend without your glorious leader?" Neo teased as she wheeled her suitcase to the door, aiming the comment more at Emerald and Mercury than at Penny.

Mercury rolled his eyes, "We're never gonna hear the end of you being in charge, are we?"

"Nope," Neo said a wide smile. "Okay, see you guys Sunday night!" She walked down the hall and into team RWBY's room, where Weiss was still packing. Neo gave her a look after seeing how much the heiress planned to bring. "I thought we were just staying the weekend?"

"We are," Weiss replied, continuing to stuff more clothes into her suitcase. "Why?"

"Then why do you have a month's worth of outfits in there?"

She shrugged, "I like to have options. Besides, I'm probably going to leave a few of these at home, I hardly ever wear them. Like this green blouse, not my colour at all."

"If you say so," Neo grinned, rolling her eyes as she did. "Wait a minute, options? Isn't it your house? As in every article of clothing u ooh didn't bring is still there?" Weiss ignored that comment and continued to pack, so Neo sat down and started chatting with the rest of the team. Another ten minutes went by before the guess was finally ready to leave, and the two departed from the dorms after saying goodbye to the rest of team RWBY. It was a little rainy outside so the two stayed huddled together under Neo's umbrella as they briskly walked to catch their flight. After flying from here into the city, their next flight was a direct route to Atlas. From there, they would board a private ship to a local airport and finally ride in one of Weiss' family cars to the Schnee mansion. The initial flight into Vale wasn't long, but the couple was informed upon their arrival that there would be an hour delay before their flight to Atlas.

"I swear, I pay good money for these flights. The least they could do is be on time," Weiss grumbled as she and Neo found an open table in the food court to sit at while they waited.

Neo smiled, "Come on, it's not that bad. I'm gonna go grab a coffee, you want anything?" Weiss shook her head no, so Neo went off on her own to get her drink. Normally she wasn't much of a coffee drinker, mostly due to the taste, but she wanted to stay awake for the long flight. Despite wanting to get some sleep to pass the time, she decided it would be better to stay up and think over what she planned to say to Weiss' mother so their first encounter could go over perfectly. She'd been playing out every possible scenario in her head, making sure that no matter what she would have something to say. She got a mocha from the coffee shop and returned to her seat to see Weiss slumped forward with a somewhat forlorn look on her face. "Weiss, what's wrong?"

The heiress sighed, "I'm a little... nervous. I've never exactly brought someone home to my parents before, and I'm worried about how it's going to go."

"Shouldn't I be the one worrying here? Meeting your mom is scaring the shit outta me to be quite honest, although I think meeting your dad should go over well. He seems nice enough from our video calls."

"I know he seems that way, but I'm not entirely sure it's genuine," Weiss replied, resting her elbows on the table to prop up her head. "It's not like him to take this kind of news so well. I'm amazed he even gave you the suggestions on how to let us stay together."

Neo cocked her head to the side in confusion, "Wait, why didn't you say that when we first talked to him?"

"I don't know, I guess I was just too excited to really care. I excepted a flat out no, and when he gave us a chance I didn't stop to question it. Granted, I doubt he's going to pull me aside and demand I break up with you, or anything that severe, but I am expecting a talk of some kind from him."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Neo said with a comforting smile. She didn't necessarily believe that, but she wanted Weiss to at least think she was holding it together. Inside she was on the verge of panicking, but she didn't want Weiss to know that. They were both already stressed enough, and she didn't want to add any more.

In a lucky turn of events the delay only lasted twenty minutes and the girls were finally able to board. Weiss being Weiss meant they were sitting up in first class, which Neo quickly found she could get used to. After the usual preflight proceedings the airship took off and began the long journey to Atlas. Neo's plan to stay awake the whole time worked for all of ten minutes before she felt herself starting to drift off to sleep. She fought it for a while before she came to the reality that it was a battle she wasn't going to win, and gave up. She leant her head on Weiss' shoulder and was out before the flight crew had come around to serve drinks.

Neo found herself in an eerily familiar black space with a single point of light in it's center. It took her a moment to remember being here before, and looked around for the person she knew would soon be coming. Sure enough, Beo stepped out and greeted her with an irritated scowl. "Hey, we need to talk," she said flatly, her tone taking Neo by surprise.

"Okay... What about?"

Beo rolled her eyes and started to pace in a circle, "You being so God damn nice to everyone, specifically Neptune. I can understand you stopping me from killing him, sort of, but why the fuck would you be so quick to forgive him after everything that happened?"

"You know exactly why," Neo replied, taking the same hostile tone as her sister personality. "We're the same person, I think, you know everything I know. And what do you mean being too nice to everyone?"

"Sweetie, I know you want to avoid conflict, but that can't always happen. Like this weekend for example, I know you want to everything to be calm and emotional and blah blah blah, but we both know Weiss' mom isn't gonna be like that. She's a lost cause, and you should start accepting that."

Neo was again taken by surprise by what was being said. "Excuse me?" she said with a bit of a bite in her words. "How is she a lost cause? I haven't even spoken to the woman, you have no idea what'll happen when I do."

Beo shrugged, "Call it a hunch. Look, I'm just saying you shouldn't worry about her, if she comes around she comes around, and if she doesn't she doesn't. There are bigger things to worry about."

"Okay, I'm done here, how do I leave?" Neo asked, already fed up with the conversion.

"You leave when I say we're done here," Beo replied, showing the same aggravation as Neo. "I think the problem is that I'm not in control enough. Back when we worked for Cinder it was almost half and half who was in the front, but now I hardly ever get out, and to be honest I'm kinda getting sick of it."

"That's because I don't trust you," Neo said flatly. "Back then it didn't really matter what you'd did, but now it does, and you're too unstable to let run around. The last time you just hung out with everyone you pissed them all off in all of a minute."

"Hey, I told you I wouldn't fuck things up, didn't I?"

Neo shook her head, "You did, but I don't trust that you'll keep that promise."

"Oh boo fucking hoo," Beo snapped back. "I'm taking over our conversation with Weiss' mom this weekend, so just be ready for that. Once that's taken care of, we're gonna have another serious talk about how we split up our time."

"Hey, wait, you can't-" Neo started, but Beo was already gone before she could finish. The light dimmed and everything went black before Neo opened her eyes back on the airship. She remained still for a few seconds while her conversation with Beo processed in her head. Eventually she yawned and stretched before turning to Weiss. "How long was I out?"

"About two hours, they should be coming around with the dinner menu soon," Weiss replied, sliding the crossword puzzle she'd been working on the front of her seat. "Did you sleep well?"

Neo shrugged, "Meh, alright I guess." She didn't want to say anything about her conversation with Beo, mostly because she was afraid herself about exactly what was going to happen. Beo had never acted that hostile to her before, and she started to wonder if Beo would actually be able to take over when she wanted. It seemed unlikely, but she didn't want to risk it, just in case, and decided to try to keep her guard up.

"Everything okay?" Weiss asked, looking a little concerned. "You seem a little... on edge."

"Yeah, just a little nervous, that's all," Neo lied.

Weiss gave her a comforting smile, "Relax, everything's going to be fine. Besides, we've got plenty of time before we get there, so just try to take it easy."

"I will," Neo replied, leaning over and giving the heiress a peck on the cheek. "So what's the food like in first class?"

She quickly discovered that the menu had a better selection than the campus dining hall, which she had not at all been expecting. After having dinner the girls turned on one of the in-flight movies and ended up falling asleep for the rest of the flight. They woke up from sudden jolt of the airship docking, and groggily made their way through baggage claim and onto their last flight for the day. This was a private airship owned by the Schnee family that would take them to a small airport out of the city. After that flight they were met at the gate by a driver waiting to take them to the Schnee mansion.

It wasn't until their luggage was put in the trunk and the limo started up pull away from the airport that Neo's nervousness about meeting Weiss' family started to creep its way back up. Sleeping through the flight had kept her mind occupied, or rather unoccupied until now, but she couldn't escape the feeling anymore that things weren't going to go as smoothly as planned. She turned to Weiss with a bit of a fright in her eyes, "I'm starting to have second thoughts about this."

Weiss let out an amused sigh and rolled her eyes, "I don't remember you having much of a say in the matter. And it's a little late now to want to back out anyway. Just relax and trust me for once, everything will be fine."

"I always trust you, but... I dunno, I just have a bad feeling about this."

"Oh come on, we've faced far worse things than my parents," Weiss smiled, putting her arm around Neo's shoulders. "If this is the thing that finally beats us, we've got bigger problems than just them."

Neo returned the smile and pulled Weiss in for a soft kiss. "You're right," she said. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Neo let her head rest on the heiress' shoulder for most of the remainder of the ride, until she caught her first glimpse of Weiss' house. It stuck out above the trees surrounding the road, and Neo was struck with awe at its size. "Holy shit," she said, putting her head against the window to try to get a better look. "You seriously live there? That's not just a mansion, it's a mansion made of smaller mansions!"

Weiss giggled at the remark, "Yeah, it's pretty big. My father likes to flaunt his wealth sometimes, and this place is definitely one of those times."

"No kidding," Neo said, her eyes still glued to the massive towers on the horizon. "Have you ever gotten lost inside?"

"More times than I can count. But we have plenty of servants and maids walking around inside, so I never stayed lost for very long. The bigger problem was when I lost something like a toy or a book. It would be months before I saw it again, even with everyone looking for it. Half the time father just bought me a new one, and I'd have two once the old one showed up again."

Neo rolled her eyes, "Yeah, sounds like a problem alright."

"Oh hush, that's just the way it worked. Didn't you ever get replacements for things you lost?"

"Well yeah," Neo replied, finally turning her attention away from the mansion. "Whenever I lost a toy, the replacement was whatever myself, Emerald, or Mercury could steal that looked about the same. I remember leaving a store with at least half a dozen dolls one time for me and Emerald, I think we were seven or eight at the time."

Weiss laughed, "Really? You were criminals that young? Oh, just a heads up, while my parents know about your past it'll probably be best if you keep stories like those to a minimum while we're around them."

"I'll do my best. No promises though."

The car continued to wind its way through the curving road until it arrived at a large, ornate gate. The doors opened and the limo pulled into the long driveway leading up to the front of the mansion. The road split and went around either side of a large fountain, and finally came to a stop at the steps leading up to the front porch. The girls got their bags out of the trunk and exchanged a nervous glance before starting up at the stairs and knocking on the door.

A older woman in a typical maid outfit came to answer, and her face lit up when she saw who had arrived.

"Miss Schnee! It's been so long since I've seen you!" she exclaimed, her excitement making Neo do everything in her power not to laugh. "Here, leave your luggage off to the side here, someone will be by shortly to take out to your rooms. I'll go inform your father that you've arrived."

Weiss smiled, "Thank you, Lora." She and Neo came inside and left their bags as instructed while Lora made her way up a nearby staircase in search of Weiss' father. Neo was once again struck with awe at the size and majesty of the entryway. "Again, this is a mansion made of smaller mansions," she laughed, and Weiss joined in with her. "This is amazing."

"It is, isn't it?" Weiss father said with a smile from the top of the stairs as he started the descent down. "I'm glad to see the two of you made it here safely. How was your flight?"

"Long as usual, nothing out of the ordinary," Weiss replied, holding out her hand to her father.

He shook his head, "I think not. I haven't seen you in nearly half a year, I think a hug is order, don't you?" Weiss was surprised to say the least from the question. Hers was never a hugging family, and this was very unusual for her father. Nevertheless she didn't argue, and happily came forward to give him a warm embrace. "That's more like it. And Neo, it's nice to finally meet you in person."

"Likewise, sir," she replied, receiving her own hug.

Weiss gave her father a sceptical look, "You're being awfully affectionate... Not that I'm complaining, but this is very unlike you."

"I suppose you could say that," he replied with a somewhat innocent shrug. "Things have been very quiet around here since you left and, to be honest, I've missed your company far more than I thought I would. It's good to have you home."

Weiss looked as though she were going to cry, but out of happiness from what may have been the nicest thing her father had ever said to her. She could tell his happiness was genuine, and her worries about her him from earlier were gone in an instant. She wore a wide smile, as did Neo, and the two shared a look as they became hopeful that things might actually go well this weekend. At that moment Weiss' mother cleared her throat from the other end of the entryway, turning everyone's attention over to her. "Hello, Weiss," she said in a monotone as she walked over to greet her daughter and give a formal handshake. "I take it your trip went well?"

Weiss nodded, "Yes, very. Mother, this is Neo. Neo, my mother."

"Pleased to meet you, ma'am," Neo said in the most friendly voice she could, extended her arm for a handshake.

"I'm glad to hear your flight went well," Weiss' mother replied, ignoring Neo completely. "I'm afraid I can't stay to chat, I have some important matters to attend to elsewhere." She turned and left without another word, and Neo and Weiss shared another look that said they had been wrong before.

Weiss' father shook his head, "I apologise for the way she's behaving. I've done my best to talk to her, but she won't listen."

"It's fine," Neo said, sounding a little disappointed. "I shouldn't have expected anything different."

Weiss frowned, "Don't say that. We'll find a way to change her mind, I'm sure of it."

"I hope you're right," Neo replied, adding under her breath, "That bitch will never change."

'_Wait, why did I just say that?_' She thought in confusion. '_I didn't want to say that, I want even thinking it. How did...? Wait, it couldn't be Beo... could it? No, no, that's ridiculous, she can't... can she? No, it must've just been a slip. Good thing no one heard me._'

"Neo? Are you listening?" Weiss asked, bringing Neo out of her thoughts.

She blinked a few times as she snapped back to reality and answered, "Oh, uh... No, sorry, what were you saying?"

Weiss rolled her eyes, "I asked if you wanted a quick tour of the house."

"Oh, okay, sounds like fun! I don't think quick is the right word to use though."

The two laughed as Weiss lead Neo through the long entryway and into the living room. In Neo's mind, massive wasn't big enough to describe its size, and she had to stop trying to look at everything in the room because there were simply too many things in the vast space. Weiss' tour then took them down a hallway and to several leisure rooms, including a theatre, a fencing ring, and a grand library, which seemed to rival that of the one at Beacon. After another twenty minutes or so of walking through the seemingly endless corridors, Neo's yawning reminded the two of how long their day had been, and of the fact that it was nearly eleven o'clock.

Weiss now led Neo upstairs to the guest wing. At first Neo had thought she had misheard, or that Weiss had misspoke, because she couldn't imagine there being an entire wing of the house being devoted to guest rooms. However, she was wrong. An expansive hallway with doors on either side held a dozen large, separate guest rooms, although Neo didn't care which one she had as long as it had a bed. Her luggage had already been brought up and placed outside one of the doors, so she assumed that was the room meant for her. She opened the door and was once again taken back by how beautiful the rooms of the house were. That awe gave way to her growing sleepiness, and she ran forward and collapsed onto the bed before Weiss had even fully stepped into the room.

"Aren't you going to change into your pajamas?" the heiress asked, already hearing a faint snoring from the bed.

Neo groaned, "Do I have to?"

"Yes! And brush your teeth and do everything else you normally do before bed. Just because we're on a vacation of sorts doesn't mean you can be a slob."

"Okay, mom," Neo replied sarcastically, earning a scowl from Weiss as she slowly got back up. She went to her suitcase and rummaged around for her bag of toiletries before heading into the bathroom to brush her teeth. "So, will you be joining me in here tonight?"

Weiss shook her head, "No, I don't think either of my parents would approve of that."

"Aww... Damn, I really wanted to mess around here, these beds look like they'd be so good for it. And I think the thrill of knowing we could get caught would make it pretty hot, don't you?"

"I uh..." Weiss trailed off as she looked off to the side, her face starting to turn red. "M-Maybe, but I don't think we're going to find out. These hallways echo."

Neo shrugged, "If you're sure. Well if you change your mind, you know where to find me."

Weiss rolled her eyes and walked up behind Neo, wrapped her arms around the girl's waist and giving her a kiss on the neck. "You're something else, but I love you."

"I love you too," Neo smiled, turning around to give her fiancee a long kiss on the lips. "Alright, I'm gonna get changed and brush my teeth and stuff. You wanna hang around for a little bit?"

"I can't, my father said to see him after your tour, remember?" Weiss asked.

Neo shook her head, "Nope, must've been zoned out. Alright, well g'night then."

"Good night," Weiss replied, giving Neo one final kiss before leaving the room. Neo went about her usual nightly routine before jumping into bed and wrapping herself in the covers. It'd been a long day, and she knew that tomorrow wasn't going to easy for anyone, so she wanted to get as good a night's sleep as she could.

'_Alright, so Weiss' mother... I expected her to be cold, but not to flat out ignore me. Hell, she didn't even acknowledge that I exist! I can't give up this early though, I've still got plenty of ways to try to make her like me. Actually, I think I'd settle for her just being neutral to me after that display. I really hope Beo wasn't serious about taking over for our conversations. I don't think she has the power to, but even subtle injections at the wrong time could be enough to ruin everything. I shouldn't worry about that though, there's no way it'll happen. I need to be focused, and I'll need to get some sleep to stay that way._'

**I can't tell you how many sites I went through trying to find a good word using NEMP. Pendulum was the only one I found that would be acceptable, but I wasn't about to make Penny the leader just to fit that, so Nemesis it is. I'm sure every review for this chapter will be a better word I could've used, to which I reply: I'm the author and can do whatever the fuck I want. :P Anyway, hope you enjoyed as always. Sorry this one took so long, but life and school and grades and blah blah blah, you don't want to listen to me complain about my life. :P I suppose I'll tell you now that I currently have two or three more chapters planned depending on how I split them up, but don't fret, my next story will be released soon after and I'll begin working on the sequel to this after Volume 3. See you guys next chapter! I promise it won't be two weeks until then, but then again my record isn't as good as Neo's. :P**


	21. Chapter 21: Confrontation

Chapter 21: Confrontation

After an hour or so of tossing and turning in bed, Neo finally came to accept the fact that she wouldn't be getting to sleep any time soon. The encounter with Weiss' mother was weighing too heavily in her mind to let sleep find its way in, as were thoughts of what to do about her tomorrow, and Neo groaned as she realised it was going to be a long night for her. She needed something to take her mind away from everything, but didn't know what to do. A thought occurred to her, and she laughed to herself at how ridiculous it was. Still, she didn't have any other ideas, so despite her better judgment she got out of bed, carefully opened the door, and started to make her way down the hall.

The tile floor for a little cold on her bare feet, but it didn't bother her. She stealthily made her way through the corridors, ducking down and using her semblance to get past the maids and other servants that were still up and about at this ungodly hour. She didn't think she wouldn't be in any real trouble if someone saw her, but avoiding anything that could get back to Weiss' mother and give her the wrong idea seemed preferable. Then again, Neo's current plan went in complete contrast to that, although at the moment she didn't care.

She arrived at the door to Weiss' bedroom and slowly started to turn the knob, thankful that it didn't make any noise. She cracked the door further and further open, beginning to slip inside when a distinct, loud squeak came from the hinges. Neo shut her eyes tightly from the sound, hoping that it hadn't woken up Weiss. After a moment she peeked over at the bed, and the small slit of light coming through the door illuminated the sheets to show the heiress stirring from her slumber. Weiss slowly sat up and turned to see who had come in. "Neo?" she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "What're you doing here?"

Neo stepped the rest of the way inside the room, quietly closing the door behind her before starting toward Weiss. "I couldn't sleep," she said as she took a seat at the foot of the bed. "I was hoping maybe we could cuddle for a little? I always sleep better with you."

"You can't be serious," Weiss replied. "If someone sees us in bed together it will neither end well for us, nor help your case with my mother."

Neo frowned, "Please?" She put on her best puppy eyes, looking pitifully at her less than amused partner. Weiss' face remained stalwart for a few seconds before she finally sighed, smiled, and shook her head.

"Okay, fine," she said, pulling back the covers behind her. Neo happily climbed in to the fill the space and nuzzled in against the heiress, putting an arm around Weiss' waist and giving her a light peck on the cheek. "But no fooling around, alright?"

"Aww..." Neo pouted, pretending to be disappointed. In reality she was actually a little bummed out, but hadn't expected anything to happen tonight. Of course, she would gladly welcome it if it did. "Alright, but that means we're going all out when we get home."

She planted a few teasing kisses on Weiss' neck before moving up and nipping playfully at her ear. The heiress giggled and arched her back from the sensation, which for Neo meant to keep going. She moved her hand up and cupped Weiss' breast, tracing circles around the heiress' hardening nipple with her middle finger. Weiss gave a low moan as a shiver of pleasure went down her spine, and she turned over to face Neo with a look somewhere between annoyed and mildly amused. "If you keep this up I might not be able to wait that long," she said in a rather sexy tone.

Neo raised her eyebrows as her smile went from innocent to mischievous. "What happened to not wanting to do it here?"

Weiss glared, but still wore a faint smile. "You know I can't resist when you're this playful," she replied, pulling Neo in so their lips could tenderly meet again. "But if we get caught, it's all on you."

Neo grinned, "Works for me."

"We have to be quiet though," Weiss warned, but Neo was already fully aware of that.

"Hey, you're the screamer of the two of us," Neo teased as she crawled over to straddle Weiss. She pinned the heiress' arms above her head and moved in to kiss her as light as a feather. "Think you can keep it down?"

Weiss rolled her eyes, "Just shut up and fuck me already."

* * *

The next morning came at around eleven o'clock when the smell of lunch cooking made its way to the sleeping couple. Neo went back to her room and got dressed before the maids came in to wake her, and it looked as though she and Weiss were in the clear. She met back up with Weiss a few minutes after and the two walked hand in hand to the dining room for lunch, occasionally gigging about last night. By now Neo's awe at the size of the house had all but worn off, so she didn't stop to comment on the size of the dinner table, or the chandelier, or any of the many other things she could've chosen to gawk at.

The two sat down and immediately started attacking the plates of food in front of them. Weiss' father came down to join them not long after, but at the speed they were eating those few minutes meant he would be missing out on a few of Neo's favourite items. "Good morning, girls," he greeted them as he sat down at the other end of the table. "I trust you slept well?"

"Sure did," Neo replied, giving Weiss a subtle grin. "The pillows here are really comfortable."

"Excellent, I'm glad you found them to your liking. Although, I'm guessing that wasn't the only reason you slept so well." Both Neo and Weiss froze at the comment. They exchanged a quick glance, each silently asking the other if he could've found out.

'_Uh oh, this isn't gonna end well,_' Neo thought as she felt her cheeks getting hot, and noticed Weiss' also starting to turn red.

The heiress cleared her throat before speaking, "I... W-We... Uh..." She wanted to lie and play innocent, but the knowing look on her father's face combined with her stuttering meant that it would easier to just be honest. "H-How did you know?"

Her father gave a small smile and shrugged, "I didn't, but it's nice to know you're willing to be upfront and honest with me."

The blush in Weiss' face only deepened now, and she put her head down on the table out of embarrassment. Neo wanted to do the same, but there was something that felt strange, or at least off about the conversation. After a few seconds she realised what it was and looked up at Weiss' father with a look of mild confusion. "Hang on, you're not mad?" she asked.

"I suppose I could be, but no, I'm not mad," he replied with a remarkably calm expression. "I remember being your age once, and while I don't particularly like the thought of my daughter being at stage in a relationship, I trust she wouldn't jump into something she isn't prepared for. I also know that there's no risk of you getting her pregnant, so there is also that as a comfort."

"Okay, this conversation is over. New subject," Weiss interjected, her cheeks still able to blend in with Ruby's cloak. "Will Winter be joining us this morning?"

"Sadly no, your sister wasn't able to step away from her schoolwork to come home this weekend."

Weiss pouted, "Aww... I really wanted Neo to meet her. They'd get along so well. So... will mother be down this morning?"

"That I couldn't tell you," her father replied, looking a little sad about the subject. "She was very quiet last night after you two arrived. I don't think she plans on coming down unless she has to."

A bit of a silence fell over the table. Neo felt horrible about the divide she was causing, even though it wasn't at all her fault. _'How am I gonna make her like me if she doesn't even want to be around me? Maybe Beo was right, maybe she's a lost cause... No, I'm not about to give up that easily. There has to be a way..._'

Neo sighed, "What about dinner? Will she be down then?"

"I'll assume she will be. Perhaps that would be a good time to try to spark a conversation between the two of you."

"Or at least make her acknowledge you," Weiss added. The discussion more or less ended there, and the three returned to their lunch while idly chatting about things like school. Afterwards Weiss took Neo down to the theatre room to relax and watch a movie while they let their meal digest. Of course, there was a lot more kissing than actually watching, though neither girl complained. Once the movie ended the heiress suggested they go to the pool in the back yard, to which Neo happily agreed. It had been a while since she's gone swimming, and after seeing the way everything else here was, she expected the pool to be just as grand.

Weiss let her borrow one of her swimsuits, which was still a little big even though Weiss had outgrown it, but it worked. Neo wasn't particularly a fan of the pale blue colour, but no one else would see her in it so she didn't complain. Weiss now led her out back and down a cobblestone path, surrounded on either side by a wide assortment of blooming plants, until they reached a white fence gate. They walked through and Neo gave an amused sigh once she set eyes on the pool. Not only was it huge, but it was two tiered with a slide connecting the two parts. There was a stone waterfall on the upper tier than also poured into the slide, and a hot tub hidden under a cover of palm leaves off to the side.

Weiss noticed Neo's reaction and rolled her eyes, "Yes, it's big. Were you expecting something else?"

"Not at all," Neo laughed as she set her towel down on one of the pool chairs. "This is exactly what I was expecting. What I was sighing at was more the fact that the water's running right now. I know you didn't turn it on, so is it just always going because you have the money to let it?"

Weiss huffed at the sarcastic remark, "Actually it's motion activated. It turned on when we came through the gate."

"You're not helping your case," Neo grinned, walking over like she was looking for a kiss. Weiss closed her eyes and leaned in without a second thought, but that played right into Neo's trap. With a devilish smile, Neo grabbed Weiss by the shoulders and flung her into the water. The heiress resurfaced with a face so angry it looked like it could boil the water around her, which only made Neo laugh harder than she already was. "Oh come on, that was funny!"

Weiss grunted in irritation and splashed some water up at Neo, who had no trouble dodging it. "Get in here yourself and we'll see just how funny you think you are," Weiss taunted.

Neo grinned and ran to the water, jumping high into the air once she reached the edge of the pool and did a cannonball just inches to the right of Weiss. She came up for air to see Weiss holding out her hand to make a glyph, and soon felt the water around her freeze. Neo struggled against the ice enclosing around her waist, but it was no use. "Hey, no fair!" she shouted, starting to shiver from the cold.

Weiss shrugged, "All's fair in love and war." She made another glyph in front of her that sent a large plume of water toward Neo. Neo smirked and used her semblance, appearing behind Weiss and dragging her under the water as the wave crashed down where she had just been. The two resurfaced, both giggling, and spent another couple of minutes splashing at each other before the leftover ice floating around the pool drove them out and into the hot tub.

"You know, I could get used to this," Neo commented as she turned on the jets at her back. They weren't quite as good as the masseuse from the other week, but they still felt wonderful. "I'm not usually the kind of girl who likes big, fancy stuff, but after we get married we're getting a pool like this."

Weiss smiled, "Agreed. So are you having a good weekend so far?"

"You bet! I have a feeling dinner is gonna change all that, but so far so good."

"Yeah... I'm really sorry about my mother," Weiss sadly replied. "I've never seen her like this, ever. I guess it's better her than my father though, if he had been as opposed as she is, I wouldn't even still be at Beacon."

Neo drifted across the tub to sit beside the heiress, and put an arm around her shoulders. "You say that like it would've stopped us," she said, making Weiss smile. She leaned in for a quick kiss before donning a mischievous grin and taking a moment to look around to ensure that they were alone. "Hey Weiss, ever do it in a hot tub?"

The heiress gave her an exasperated sigh in response, "Seriously? Two things: First, you're the only person I've ever 'done it' with, so no. Second, we're not about to change that today."

"You sure?" Neo asked in her sexiest voice, taking her hand and starting to run it up the heiress' thigh, eliciting a small gasp. In response, Weiss lightly splashed some water up into Neo's face. Not a lot, but enough to make her recoil to wipe her eyes. "Hey!"

"You asked for it," Weiss innocently replied. "And let's not push our luck. The fact that my father was okay with us after finding out about last night still blows my mind."

Neo shrugged, "Maybe he's a cooler dad than you give him credit for." After a while of going between the pool and relaxing in the hot tub the two were called in my one of the maids to get ready for dinner. Neither one of them had realised how long they'd been out here, but sure enough it was nearly quarter after five when they finally got around to looking at the time.

They changed back into their normal clothes and made their way back to the dining room for dinner. They sat beside each other at one end of the table, and were soon joined by Weiss' parents, who took their seats at the opposite end. The table had enough chairs for a twenty people, so there was a considerable distance between the two pairs, but the room was shaped in a way that sound carried very well, and there was no need to yell across the table. The chefs came out not long after with plate after plate of delicious smelling food. Neo couldn't help but wonder how Weiss stayed so thin with this sort of bounty available to her at every meal.

There were a few pleasantries said when the four first sat down, but after that the start of the meal was fairly quiet as everyone dug in. Neo could feel Weiss' mother judging her from across the table, but did her best to not let it bother her. "So Neo, how exactly did you and my daughter first meet?" Weiss' father finally asked, breaking the silence and making an obvious attempt to spur a discussion on her relationship.

Neo gave a small smile at the gesture, and decided to go with it. "Um..." she started, hesitating as she actually had to think of the first time they'd seen each other. "I guess it would be the night under the highway. I was guarding Roman at a Faunus rally when Sun and Blake showed up. They ran off, Roman chased after them in a stolen Paladin, and I caught up in time to stop Yang from putting a hole through his head."

"Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about that," Weiss added. "Then I passed you on the train when Yang stayed behind to fight you. We didn't actually have a conversation until you were brought into Beacon."

Her father looked intrigued, "Remind me, how exactly did that happen in the first place?"

"Well, after the incident on the train I had a bit of a falling out with Cinder," Neo replied. "She threw me out, and the next day Blake and Yang found me walking around the city. After I told them what'd happened they brought me back to see if Professor Ozpin would know what to do with me. He offered me the chance to enrol, and took it without a second thought. Best decision I've ever made."

"He admitted you just like that?" Weiss' mother asked incredulously, making her first direct statement to Neo since she'd arrived. Everyone was aware of this, and now Weiss and her father both looked nervously to Neo to see how she'd proceed.

Neo simply nodded, "Yeah, pretty much. Although he had me under surveillance for a couple weeks after I arrived, and General Ironwood had his eyes on me for a while afterwards too. I don't blame them, they didn't really have a reason to trust me right away given my history."

"Interesting. You're certainly very upfront about your criminal past."

"I mean, I'm not ashamed of it if that's what you're going for," Neo replied, sounding surprisingly calm. "It's part of who am I. That doesn't mean I'm necessarily proud of it, but it's what got me to where I am now, and I've never been happier."

Weiss' mother went quiet, returning to her food without making any further remarks. Her husband on the other hand still wanted to know more about his daughter relationship. At first he'd just wanted to spur a conversation, but now he was genuinely curious after not getting much information about it from the start. "Not to pry, but when did you first know you were attracted to Weiss?" he asked.

Neo smiled, "Hmm... I think it all started after a dream I had about the two of us dating. It was kinda weird at first, and after that she was in every corner of my mind, so I decided to go for it. I didn't think she'd actually say yes, so I was pleasantly surprised when she did."

"Of course I'd say yes," Weiss said, sounding almost offended to hear Neo had thought otherwise. "What made you think I wouldn't?"

"I dunno, you never struck me as someone who'd be into girls," Neo shrugged. "I guess on that note, when did you first know you liked me?" The heiress had to pause for a moment before responding. Somehow in the time they'd been together this hadn't come up, and now Neo really wanted to know.

"I guess it was after we took that afternoon to get to know each other," Weiss said with a growing smile. "There was just something about you that... I don't know, it's hard to say exactly what it was, but I knew from then on I wanted to be with you."

Neo gave her a confused look. "Hang on, isn't that the night you had your date with Neptune?" she asked, receiving a nod. "So... is that the real reason you said the date didn't go well?"

Weiss shook her head, "No, it didn't go well because all he wanted was to sleep with me, which is not something I'm about to do on a first date. I will admit I was thinking about you for most of the evening though."

"Aww, that's really sweet. The thinking of me part, not the horny Neptune part. I'm guessing that's also why you came to check up on me after that sparring match the next day?"

The heiress nodded, "Mhm. And after Yang asked me about my date and liking girls, I got the impression that someone had put her up to it. Then you came out of the bathroom, obviously acting nonchalant, and it wasn't hard to put two and two together."

"Huh, I thought I was a better actor than that," Neo said sarcastically, making Weiss smile wider. "I'm curious now, would you have asked me out if I hadn't come to you first?"

"After I figured out you liked me, absolutely," the heiress replied. Neo smiled back and pulled her in for a kiss. They kept it short since both of Weiss' parents were watching, but it lasted long enough for both of them to convey how they were feeling. They separated and looked first to Weiss' father, who smiled and lightly shook his head at the display. The girls giggled and now turned to the heiress' mother, whom to their surprise wasn't wearing the disgusted expression they were expecting. Instead she looked conflicted, giving Neo a tiny spark of hope she didn't think she would've gotten tonight.

_'Well, I guess this is going better than anticipated. I was expecting a full blown screaming match by now, but Mrs. Schnee almost looks... remorseful. No, probably not the right word for it, but she looks like she's thinking pretty hard, and that's a good sign. I still don't think I'll be winning her over tonight, but I might get to at least have a conversation with her._'

The rest of the meal went by with more conversation about their relationship, school, and a few other subjects Weiss' father hasn't been informed about. All the while the heiress' mother remained fairly quiet, occasionally throwing in a comment that could be taken provocatively, but didn't seem like that was its intent. After the plates were cleared Weiss excused herself to go to the bathroom before dessert was brought out. Only moments later her father got a call from a very important client, forcing him to leave the room to answer. Now Neo was left alone with Weiss' mother, and the tension between them could've been cut with a knife.

_'Alright, well... I guess this is my chance to try to get a one on one conversation with her. Should I try to be, delicate, or...? No, I can't count on it lasting long enough to just ease into it. I might as well just put all my cards on the table._'

"Mrs. Schnee, can I ask you something?" Neo said hesitantly.

The woman sighed, "I suppose, go ahead."

"Why do you hate me?"

The following silence seemed like an eternity as Neo waited for an answer. At this point she had no idea what kind of a reaction she would get, and while she was hoping for the best, she was preparing herself for the worst. Weiss' mother looked down at the table for a solid minute before a she finally replied. "Let's get something straight, I don't hate you as a person. However, I believe a relationship should be between a man and a woman, and I can't bring myself to approve of what you have with my daughter. If it were up to me, the two of you wouldn't be together at all, but not out of hatred for you."

Neo's face fell, "But, why? I haven't done anything to make you feel that way, have I?"

"This isn't about you, it's about gays in general, but for the record I will say that your history does give me fair grounds to disapprove of you. It's a matter of principles. If we allow the sanctity of the relationship be ruined like this, what's next? Will we then give in to all the demands of the Faunus? Or how about we encourage interspecies 'relationships' too?"

"How can you be so bigoted?" Neo asked in amazement. "I can see someone having these kinds of beliefs twenty years ago, but certainly not now."

Weiss' mother scowled at her, "Listen to me, young lady. I don't know where you think you can come off telling me what I should believe, especially in my own house, but you are not a person who commands any sort of authority with me. Quite frankly, given your past, the fact that you're not in prison astounds me."

Neo was prepared to give a venomous rebuttal, but before she could she felt an intense rage flowing through her, and didn't even have time to react as the transition took hold in an instant. "NO, YOU LISTEN TO ME!" Beo screamed. "I have been through too God damn much, and come too God damn far to have some homophobic BITCH try to tell me that everything I've worked so hard for isn't fucking good enough! Yes, I was a criminal before, maybe even a terrorist, but that's not who I am now. And yes, whether you like it or not, I'm dating your daughter. Guess what? We even fucked in her bed last night! And do you wanna know something else? I don't give a flying fuck what you think about it. I love her more than life itself, and nothing you'll ever say can change that. I've had to fight through too much to let the opinion of someone like you put an end to this."

The yelling had brought Weiss and her father to the doorway, both of them standing perfectly still as the situation unfolded before them. Her father spoke up, "Let's not do this here. We're having a perfectly nice dinner, let's try to keep it that way, alright?"

His wife spun around to look at him with fire in her eyes, "Are you just going to stand there and let this person speak to me like that?"

"THIS PERSON?" Beo shrieked. "ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? Do you really think you're that high and mighty that you can't even call me by my name, or did you not even bother to learn it?"

"Neo, what's gotten into you?" Weiss asked with concern as she ran to the girls side. Upon looking into the her eyes, she made the realisation that it wasn't Neo she was talking to, and knew she needed to get her out of here as fast as possible. "Father, may we be excused?"

He nodded, "Yes, you may. Now run along, your mother and I need to talk in private." The heiress wasted no time in grabbing Beo by the wrist and pulling her from the room before there was a chance to argue. Neo regained control by the time the two made it back to her room, and she buried her head in her hands after sitting down on the corner of the bed.

Weiss came and sat beside her, placing a gentle kiss on the girl's cheek. "Neo? Are you alright?"

Neo nodded, bringing her head up and wiping her eyes with a faint sniffle. "Yeah, I'm fine. I didn't think Beo would actually be able to come out like that..."

"It's alright," Weiss said with a comforting smile. "What was said needed to be said."

"I guess so... You know, Beo's right. I don't care what your mother thinks of us. I've spent this whole week trying to think of how to make her like me, but that never should've mattered. What does matter is how I feel about you, and there's not a person alive who can change that. I love you, Weiss."

"I love you too," the heiress replied, wrapping her arms around her smiling fiancee. They shared a long kiss before ending the embrace, and for the first time in days, Neo felt like everything was alright again. "So, what do you want to do for the rest of the evening? And don't say what I think you're going to."

Neo rolled her eyes, "Oh relax. After that whole fiasco, I'm not exactly in the mood. I wouldn't mind just laying here and cuddling for a while though. Maybe we could put on a movie?"

"That sounds wonderful," Weiss replied, crawling up the bed to lay down as Neo did the same behind her. They both got comfortable and turned on the TV, flipping through the channels for a few minutes until they found something they liked. Neo felt Weiss' hand resting on her midriff, and reached down so their fingers could intertwine. She let out a sigh of content and closed her eyes for a moment, thinking about just how lucky she truly was.

'_Why do I feel like there's something I should still be worried about?_' she thought as the movie got underway. _'I'm over trying to win over Weiss' mother, and I can't think of anything else that could be wrong. Meh, I'm sure it's nothing. If there really is something wrong I'd know what it is, right? Oh well, I'll worry about it tomorrow. Right now I just wanna lay here with the greatest thing that's ever happened to me._'

**Hey guys! So first off let me say thank you to everyone who has read this far. Seeing this many of you loving my writing means so much, so thanks. (: Next chapter will be the finale of A Neo Outlook on Life, so make sure you come back for the (climactic?) ending! Sorry that the time between chapters keeps going up, but this week is finals week, so studying came before writing. Anyway, if you want to know when I release my next story, or the sequel to this one, go ahead and follow me as an author and you'll get those alerts. I'll see you guys next time! Also, if you're looking for another story in the meantime, Cjkarma11 is doing a crossover of this story with Ruby as the main character. If that's something you'd be into, go check it out on his profile.**

**Oh, and before I forget, be on the lookout for something extra new tomorrow. ;)**


	22. Chapter 22: Reconciliation

Chapter 22: Reconciliation

The girls got to packing the next morning after having fallen asleep together in Neo's room. It didn't take too long since they hadn't really unpacked in the first place, but it still needed to be done. After a quick breakfast they met with Weiss' father at the front of the house to say goodbye before the limo driver arrived to take them to the airport. Weiss' mother didn't come down to see them off though, which didn't surprise anyone. Weiss looked a little upset by it, but Neo was over trying to win the woman's approval, and wasn't bothered by it. The driver didn't take long to pull up to the front steps, and the couple loaded their bags into the truck before saying one final goodbye and heading out, although they did still wave through the windows until they were out of sight.

Weiss let out a relieved sigh and slumped back in her seat once they were clear of the front gate, "Well, as far as this weekend could've gone, I'd say it went pretty well."

"I'd have to agree," Neo said happily. "I'm a little disappointed it didn't go as perfect as planned, but oh well, you can't win 'em all."

The trip back to Beacon was about as uneventful as the trip out. It was still early enough in the morning that they could sleep on the plane, and before they knew it they were already back on campus. They stopped first in team RWBY's room since NEMP's was further down the hall, and Weiss' teammates greeted them warmly as they came through the door.

"Yay, you're back!" Ruby cheered, jumping down from her bed as Weiss set her suitcase down. "How'd it go?"

Neo smiled, "A lot better than expected, that's for sure."

"So you got her mom to like you?" Blake asked, looking hopeful.

"Not at all. In fact, she probably hates me more than she did before. But I don't care, she made it pretty clear that I can't win her over, so there's no point in trying. She's not the kind of person whose opinion should matter to anymore anyway."

"That's for sure," Weiss added as she started to unpack.

Ruby frowned, "Oh, well... Sorry it didn't go perfectly, but I'm glad it worked out in a way that you're happy with."

"Me too," Neo replied. "Alright, well I'll catch up with you guys later, I need to go make sure my team didn't burn down the room while I was away." There was a quick laugh from team RWBY, but in truth Neo had been a little apprehensive to leave with Mercury having just joined up. She did trust him, but she was still cautious, and rightfully so. After giving Weiss a kiss goodbye she walked down the hall to her own dorm, and was pleasantly surprised to not see smoke coming from inside. She opened the door, and was greeted energetically by one member of her team who was sitting on the windowsill.

"Neo! You're home!" Penny said excitedly, clapping her hands and looking to the rest of the team to see if they were as enthused as she was. Emerald looked up from her scroll and waved hello, while Mercury appeared to be asleep in his bunk.

Neo set her suitcase down and grinned, "Yes, at last your glorious leader has returned!" Mercury grunted and rolled over from the exclamation, making the rest of the team laugh. "I'm surprised, nothing's destroyed. Or on fire. There isn't a body under my bed or anything, is there?"

Emerald rolled her eyes, "No. Believe it or not, I can control myself."

"I was aiming that more at Mercury," Neo replied, earning another grunt from the silver-haired boy.

"What, you don't trust me?" he asked innocently as he finally sat up, receiving a stare from Neo that basically said no. "Hey, just because I'm the last to join up doesn't mean I'm the most likely to go back."

Neo shrugged, "Yeah, but you're also the most sarcastic and prone to do stupid things. Anyway, I'm glad to see you guys stayed out of trouble. Do anything fun while I was away?"

"You bet we did!" Penny gleefully replied. "They took me on a tour of the campus, and I got to make lots of new friends!"

"On that subject, Emerald might have a new 'special' friend," Mercury added with a smirk. "In case you were curious."

Emerald glared at him, "Shut up! We went on one date, nothing's official yet." The two went back and forth for a while before Neo's curiosity finally won out over her love of watching the two of them be at each other's throats.

"Alright, alright, break it up you two," Neo said, walking between them to cut their line of sight. "May I ask who this mystery boy is? Although with the way you two argue I would've guessed it was Mercury."

Emerald stuck out her tongue, "Okay, first of all: Ew. He's like my brother. Actually, cousin is probably a better word. Or maybe like a-"

"Get to the point," Neo interrupted. "Who is it, and why are you trying avoid telling me? Is it Cardin? If you say it's Cardin I might have punch you."

"No, that's even more gross. And besides, who says I have to tell you every detail of my private life?"

Neo rolled her eyes, "Well, I am your team leader, so I say you have to. But, if you're gonna insist on not telling me... Mercury, who is it?"

He grinned, "None other than Miss Yang Xiao-Long."

"Mercury!" Emerald angrily yelled. "Why would you do that? We wanted to keep it to ourselves until it became official, if it is going to. I told you that like, three times!"

"Hey, she asked. Gotta listen to the leader." The two got into another shouting match, and Neo couldn't help but smile as she sat back and watched.

'_I forgot how easily they can get on each other's nerves. I've gotta say, I didn't think I missed seeing them as much as I did. It feels good to have the gang back together._'

After a while Emerald happened to glance over at Neo, who was still watching her and Mercury. "Why are you looking at us like that?" she asked, confused as to why she was being stared at.

"Oh, no reason," Neo replied, still grinning. "I'm just happy to be home."

Classes started up again the next day, and it seemed as though life was returning to normal. Team NEMP's newest members were adjusting to the school quite nicely, Neo and Weiss seemed happier than ever, and semester looked like it would be the best one yet. However, as the days turned into weeks, it became more and more apparent to Neo that something wasn't right. She tried to ignore it at first, suppress it like she had until now, but that only worked for so long. Eventually she couldn't deny it anymore: Beo was through being shoved to the background.

At first it happened only on occasion, a slip of a word or phrase that Neo hadn't intended to say, but Beo's growing anger quickly progressed to her being able to yell out full sentences, hateful outbursts, even whole conversations at times. Neo tried to act as if everything were under control, but her friends and teammates could clearly see that wasn't the case. It became increasingly apparent after a particularly violent training match, which landed Dove in the hospital with a broken collarbone, that something needed to be done about her other side, and fast.

It was now the Sunday before the start of finals, and tomorrow would be the start of team battles in combat training. During the last week, Neo had purposely not gone to class for fear of what Beo would do, but now she didn't have much of a choice or else she and the rest of her team would fail the class. Everything she tried to get things under control fell flat, and the stress of it all was clearly getting to her. She, along with her teammates, we're currently eating dinner along with team RWBY and team JNPR, and the topic of discussion was none other than what to do about her current situation.

"Neo, we're just trying to help you," Ruby said sympathetically. The rest of the group nodded in agreement, each adding in a few short words of encouragement before Ruby continued. "You don't have to do this by yourself."

Neo sighed, "You don't understand, I kinda do have to do this on my own. I know you all want to help, but you can't go inside my head."

"There has to be some way," Weiss said hopefully, placing her hand on Neo's shoulder, but it was immediately shrugged off.

"I said no!" Neo shouted, shrinking down into her seat afterward. Outbursts like that were the tamest display of Beo's ability to come out at will, and they scared Neo more than she let on. The fact that Beo could find her way out, even for a brief moment, without Neo having any warning meant that something horrible could be said at any moment.

Pyrrha frowned, "Those are getting a lot more frequent."

"Yeah, it almost sounds like you've got Tourette's," Yang added, but her attempt at a joke didn't get the laughs she wanted.

Emerald rolled her eyes, "Ignoring her, we need to get this fixed by tomorrow, or we're more or less fucked for our combat final."

"I know, I know!" Neo yelled, slamming her fists down on the table. Everyone assumed it was Beo who caused it, but in truth it was actually Neo. She was frustrated, beyond frustrated, and her own anger seemed like it was going to blend with Beo's. She put her head in her hands, "Look, guys, I appreciate you wanting to help, but unless you can get in my head and talk to Beo, there's really nothing you can do."

"Then why don't we do that?" Blake suggested, receiving confused looks from the rest of the table. "We don't have to go into her head, she just has to let Beo out. It wouldn't be the first time we've talked to Beo out of combat."

Neo shook her head, "That's out of the question. I'm not letting her out right now, I'm too afraid of what she'll do."

"Well then you need to talk to her," Mercury said sternly. "I'm not failing combat training because of this. Oh, and I guess you getting better is pretty important to." The comment earned him a smack on the back of the head from Emerald and a couple of dirty looks from everyone else. He shrugged, "Alright, so we're being completely serious right now, got it."

"I hate to agree with him, but he's right," Emerald admitted. "If we can't do it, then you need to be the one to talk to Beo. You've said you've done it before, right?"

Neo nodded, but didn't look too sure of herself, "Well yeah, but it's only ever been when she wanted to talk. I've never initiated a conversation... I can try though. I'll try when I go to sleep tonight."

"And if that doesn't work?" Pyrrha asked.

"Well then I guess we're fucked!" Neo shouted, pulling a hand up to cover her mouth the instant she finished. "Okay, okay, if it doesn't work then we'll try it your way. I'm sorry about all of this..."

Weiss smiled, "Don't be sorry, it's not your fault. Well... I guess you and Beo are the same person, but it's still not your fault."

There was a short chorus of laughter, which made Mercury sigh in exasperation. "Oh sure, it's fine when you make jokes," he said, acting dejected.

"Yes, because I'm her fiancee," Weiss replied with the high and mighty attitude she loved to use when she could play that card. Mercury shrugged and went back to eating, and the rest of the table soon followed. Neo's appetite seemed a little smaller than usual, and no-one could really blame her with what was going on in her head. Weiss brought over a hefty tray of desserts over after everyone had finished in an attempt to brighten Neo up, which worked well enough to get her through the rest of the meal without any more major outbursts.

That night, Neo settled into bed with only the goal of speaking to Beo in mind. '_Alright, Beo... I know you can hear me. We need to talk, right now. Come on, clearly you've got something you want to say to me, so let's get it all out now before this starts getting in the way of school._'

She lay in bed for a few minutes, waiting to see if she'd feel Beo pulling her in. Instead, she only felt her growing tiredness and eventually succumbed to sleep, hoping that perhaps Beo would come to visit her while she was asleep. There was a bright light when she next opened her eyes, and for a moment she thought she was in the eerie black expanse somewhere in the back of her mind. But, to her dismay, the light was just the morning sun as Emerald pulled the curtains apart to let its light flood into the room. The green-haired girl smiled as she turned to her unhappily roused teammates, "Good morning team NEMP!"

"Good morning!" Penny greeted her back, not at all affected by the rude wake-up call.

'_It's morning already?_' Neo thought sadly. '_Shit, and Beo didn't talk to me... I guess we're gonna be doing this Blake's way after all. I have a really bad feeling about how it's gonna go, but it's too late for that now._'

Mercury groaned, "I thought we could sleep in? The only final we have today is combat training, and that's not until one in the afternoon."

"We did sleep in," Emerald smugly replied. "It's half past eleven. Now get up, we need to get lunch and have time to digest before class."

The team got dressed and hurried down to the dining hall to give themselves as much time as possible. Neo was doing her best to hide how much she was panicking about the situation with Beo right now, and it seemed to be working, but she knew she couldn't hide it for long. Something had to be done, now. They were joined at their table by Yang and Nora, who had both slept in and hadn't eaten with their respective teams. Neo was a little relieved that Blake wasn't joining them to bring up Beo, but at the same time she did need someone else to initiate the conversation since she was too afraid to do it herself.

"Morning guys!" Yang greeted them after they got their trays. "How'd everyone sleep?"

Mercury shrugged, looking over at his partner, "The sleeping the fine, waking up was the bad part."

"Oh shut up," Emerald shot back. "You're as bad as a five-year-old."

Neo rolled her eyes, "Seriously you two, knock it off. You sound like an old married couple. Are you sure that the two of you aren't the new couple?"

"New couple?" Nora interjected with an excited smile. "Who's the new couple?" Her eyes darted between the four single people at the table, looking for one of them to give her a sign as to who was involved. "Well? SOMEONE TELL ME!"

"There isn't a new couple," Yang replied, turning to Emerald with a sly smile. "Yet. We'll see how things pan out." She winked, making the girl blush and getting a laugh from the rest of the table.

Neo smiled, "I hope things go well, I think you two would be really cute together."

"You think so?" Emerald asked, her blush only deepening.

Nora practically jumped out of her seat in excitement, "Absolutely! I can't wait to think of a cute couples name for you two! I hope you're a better sport than Weiss about it though. Weiss Cream is a great name, and I don't wanna hear anyone argue!"

Yang rolled her eyes, "You should probably hold off on the couples names for now, we're not there yet. And yes, Weiss Cream is a good name, Weiss just has the temper of a Beowolf. Speaking of which, Neo, did you talk to Beo last night?"

'_Damn it, just when I thought I was in the clear. Leave it to Yang to have a segue like that..._'

"I, uh..." she began, but knew that trying to lie here wouldn't help anyone. "No, I didn't. I tried, but she didn't respond. I'm not really sure what to do now."

"Can we try to talk to her now?" Emerald asked. "I know you don't want to, but we really need to."

Neo reluctantly sighed, "I... Fine..." She sat still for a moment while she relaxed her mind, giving Beo an obvious chance to take over. She waited, as did everyone else, but a couple of minutes passed as there was no sign of Beo.

Yang started tapping her fingers on the table, "Well? Are you gonna let her out or what?"

"I am," Neo replied, sounding confused as to why nothing was happening. "She should be trying right now, but... nothing. Maybe she just doesn't wanna talk?"

Emerald shrugged, "Could be. I haven't heard any outbursts from you since we got here, maybe she's still asleep?"

"Yeah, that's gotta be it," Neo said sarcastically. "That's really strange, she's never not come out when she had the chance. I mean, she still can, I'm not trying to keep her back."

"So... what does that mean for when we have to fight?" Mercury asked.

Neo shrugged, "I have no idea. I haven't fought as myself in years, it's always her. The only time she hasn't taken over for a fight was at that Dust raid in Vacuo a couple summers ago. Remember? The one where Emerald broke her finger."

Emerald glared over at Mercury, "I still blame you for that." He just shrugged innocently and went back to eating. "Alright, well... can you still fight as you if you have to?"

Neo nodded, "Of course. Again, Beo and I are the same person. It's still me fighting, just a different personality."

Penny smiled, "Don't worry, Neo, I'm sure you'll perform just fine. I have the utmost confidence in you!"

"Thanks, I hope I do well too. I guess we'll just have to see how it goes. Just in case though, if Beo does decide to do something crazy, don't be afraid to do what you need to do to subdue her or whatever."

Yang laughed, "You got it. Alright, well we should probably hurry up. Class starts in less than an hour, and we should probably get some stretches in or something beforehand."

The rest of the group agreed and got back to eating, finishing with a good amount of time left. They made their way across campus and met with the rest of team RWBY and JNPR to get ready outside of the arena before class began. They all took their seats in the same row of the stands after they finished warming up and started to chat. Blake asked Neo about last night, as she knew she would, and Neo explained what had happened during lunch. No-one was really sure what to make of it, but it was a little late to try to do something about it now. Professor Goodwitch walked out before long, and scanned over the stands to see if everyone was present before making her announcements about matches today.

"Good afternoon, students," she began, looking down at her scroll. "Today is the final exam for this class, which will consist of team sparring matches. Again, let me remind you that grades are not at all determined by whether or not your team wins or loses. Grades are given for good technique, teamwork, and finesse. There are no individual grades, and each team member will receive the same score as the others. Now that that's out of the way, let's get right into it. Matches and opponents were selected at random, and so the first match will be... team RWBY versus team NEMP."

Both teams stood up after their names had been called and made their way down into the arena. Team NEMP took their place opposite team RWBY in the ring, and both started to silently size up their opponents, looking for who each one thought they could best take on. Neo prepared herself for the coming transition, although she was still terrified about what could happen. She waited a few moments, but strangely nothing happened. There wasn't the normal feeling that came before Beo tried to take control, which came as both a comfort and worry.

Before she could think any more on it, the sudden dark feeling grabbed hold of her, but far more powerful than it had before. It didn't feel like Beo was just coming out, it felt like she was trying to physically tear herself out of Neo's body. Neo's mind went blank, her vision started to cloud over, and she let out about ear piercing scream as she pulled her arms to her chest and collapsed onto the ground. She slowly opened her eyes, and found herself exactly where she expected to be. She stood up and peered past the single, bright light in the middle of the black, and waited for Beo to come out and play.

'_Oh, sure, you'll pull me in here now but not when I actually wanna talk to you._'

"Come on, let's get this over with," Neo said angrily. "We're in the middle of class, you couldn't have waited until after the match?"

"No," Beo growled, finally stepping out of the shadows. Her face didn't show any of her usual cockiness, instead it showed a look of pure hatred and anger that made Neo involuntarily take a step back in fear. "I'm done playing around."

"What are you talking about?" Neo asked as Beo continued to advance toward her.

"I mean that I'm sick and fucking tired of being shoved to the back while you get up have all the fun! I'm as much a part of this body as you are, and I'm NOT going to just sit back like an animal in a cage."

"Well if you didn't act like such an animal, I wouldn't have to need to keep you locked up," Neo spat back.

Beo grinned evilly, "Oh, you're right, I'm just too bad to let out. Who the fuck put you in charge of me?"

"We're the same person, so I am in charge of you."

"Likewise," Beo replied. "And I think it's time I exercise my ability to make decisions about us, starting with what to do about you."

Neo shot her an amused look, "What to do about me? Really? What're you gonna do? Keep spouting hateful comments until I let you out? If you keep doing that you're just gonna set us back to where we started: On the streets looking for someone to take us in. I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound like a winning idea."

"Not what I had in mind," Beo said with a wicked smile. "I'm thinking of a more permanent solution to keep you out of the way." Now Neo's attention was directed to Beo's umbrella as Beo slowly pulled the blade from the shaft. Instinctively, Neo reached for her own umbrella, but froze in horror when she found that it wasn't there.

"H-Hang on," Neo stuttered, taking a few steps back until her shoulders pressed against the black edge of the lit space. It felt solid, and didn't allow her to walk through it like Beo did. It was a physical wall, and it meant that she had nowhere to run.

"What's the matter?" Beo taunted as she drew closer, looking down at her sword and pretending to be distracted by the way it shined in the light. "Afraid to fight back?"

Neo glared at her sister personality, "If you wanna fight for control, then we'll do it on equal terms. You and me, hand to hand. No weapons."

Beo grinned and shook her head, "Yeah, the thing is, you're not exactly in the position to be making demands. Sorry I have to play dirty like this, but I'm not about to lose."

Beo continued to creep closer, clearly enjoying the look of horror in Neo's eyes, and Neo came to the unfortunate realisation that she would have to fight, and that she would likely lose. '_Holy shit, alright, I guess this is really happening... Wait, what exactly would happen if I died in here? It's not real life, at least I don't think it is... It doesn't matter, I'd rather not lose and find out. How do I even fight her? We're the same person, we have the same style. I know exactly what moves she'll use, and how she'll counter mine, and vice versa. The only difference is that she has a sword, and I have no way to protect myself. I-_'

Her thoughts were cut short when Beo suddenly lunged forward, forcing Neo to duck under the girl's arm to get out of the way. She tried to trip Beo as she rolled past, but as she had expected, Beo knew that was coming. Beo kicked backward, hooking Neo's leg as she attempted to trip her, and sent Neo into a twirl that put her on her back. Neo did a handspring backwards to avoid another slash and landed where her stomach had been, and got into a combat stance to preparing for the fight.

Beo attacked again just like Neo knew she would, and blocked how Beo expected. Even with the advantage of having a sword, the two were still exactly equal. All the weapon meant was that Neo's consequences for making a mistake would be much more severe. They fought for what felt like the better part of an hour, but there was no way to tell how much time had passed, or whether or not time passed here at the same rate as it did outside.

As the fight wore on, several things became apparent: First, fighting to exhaustion wasn't an option. This wasn't the real world, and Neo found that her body didn't tire out like she expected, and the same seemed to apply to Beo. Second, no headway was being made by either side. Both girls were fighting flawlessly, and it was clear that something else needed to happen for one to get ahead. However, even when one tried to do something out of the ordinary, the other had had the same idea, and was ready for when it came. Neo was racking her brain for any way she could get ahead, but there was nothing that came to mind.

'_I need something... Anything... But what? She knows everything I do, there's nothing I can do that she won't expect... It has to be something she doesn't know, but that I do... Is that even possible? Is there something I've done without her or... Wait, maybe something in here, while we're separate... Umm... Wait, that's it!_'

With a smile, Neo broke her current grapple with Beo and leapt away so that her back was against the wall. Beo looked at her quizzically before charging directly for her. Neo put her hands on either side of her, preparing to jump away from sword that was poised to strike. Beo swung as Neo jumped away, and to Neo's surprise, her plan worked. As Beo swung through she extended her arm to brace herself against the wall and keep herself from slamming into it, but for her the edge of the light wasn't a solid wall, and she fell straight through it.

Off balance, she swung her arms in an attempt to save herself before hitting the ground, but in doing so her sword flew out of her hand. Neo jumped on the opportunity and grabbed the blade out of the air, turning back to face Beo with the advantage seeming to be on her side. Beo screamed in frustration and ran in, still anticipating the swing that Neo had planned. Neo's arm came down, and Beo countered with a deflection at the wrist and a hard punch to the stomach. However, instead of doubling over in pain, Neo shattered. There was a split second where Beo didn't understand what had happened, and when it dawned on her it was already too late.

Beo spun around in time to see Neo plunge the sword clean through her chest. She staggered backwards and stared down at the blade with a look of confusion before turning her eyes up to Neo with a small smile. "Damn..." she said faintly before she began to shatter herself. It started from the wound and slowly worked its way through the rest of her body until there was nothing left.

The last fragments fell to the floor, and the light at the centre of the room suddenly grew brighter. Neo lifted her arm to shield her eyes, but it only grew more intense, seeming to penetrate through her arm and tightly shut eyes. It engulfed her, and when it finally died away she opened her eyes to find herself on the ground back in the arena. Her teammates, Professor Goodwitch, and team RWBY were all standing over her with worried looks, which turned to relief when they saw that she was alright. She got back to her feet with the help of Weiss and Emerald, and looked around.

"How long was I out?" she asked.

"Out?" Weiss asked back in confusion. "You only just fell down."

Neo's eyes shot open, "Really? I was with Beo for what felt like a half hour. We got in a fight, and... I think I killed her..."

"Do we need to take you to the hospital?" Professor Goodwitch asked.

Neo shook her head, "No, no, I'm fine. I might even better than just fine. Let's start the fight." Her friends tried you convince her to at least go lay down and let them go at the end of class, but she said no. She needed to know if Beo was still somewhere in her mind, and fighting was the best way she knew to do that. The teams got back to their respective sides and once again prepared themselves for the match.

"Are both teams ready?" Professor Goodwitch asked, receiving nods from both sides. "Excellent. And... Begin!"

The match started, and Neo was amazed that there was still no transition as she charged in. She was completely in control. The fight got underway, and everyone noticed the dramatic change in the way she fought. The was no cocky, self assured smile, instead her face was strong, determined, and constantly looking around to track and analyse her opponents. Her fighting style still had the same flare, but now it wasn't excessive, and the flips and twirls were used to get an advantage or to lead into the next attack. There was no sign of Beo, it was all Neo, and she proved to be an even tougher foe than Beo had been.

That said, she was still not a match for all of team RWBY by herself. The two teams were very evenly matched, but unlike Neo's fight with Beo, there were advantages and opportunities to take to get ahead. Team RWBY had the apparent advantage of having been together for a full year over team NEMP's couple of weeks, but Neo, Emerald, and Mercury had been fighting together since they were young kids, and those years of experience showed in the way they could read each other's moves with far more precision and coordination than their opponents could. Even Penny had an easy time adjusting to their routine, possibly because of her being an android.

"And that's the match!" Goodwitch called, stepping into the ring to stop the fight. Neo disengaged from Ruby and turned her eyes to the display screen above the stands to see whose aura had fallen below the red. For these matches, the fights were called once a single member from a team fell. Neo's scanned over her team's bars, seeing all of them still at least in the orange, and then saw the flashing red of Yang's aura. She turned to see the blonde being helped to her feet by Mercury, whom she assumed was the one to have knocked the brawler down in the first place.

"Damn, that was a good match," Yang said, extending her hand to Mercury. Handshakes went around from all members of both teams before the returned to their seats to hear what Glynda's assessment had to say about the fight.

"That was a fantastic match," the professor said as she finished filling out her grade sheet. "The bar has been set very high for the rest of you, so I expect your best."

Neo smiled and turned to her friends, who were all very excited from what had been said. "I think that means we passed," she said happily.

"Yeah, with flying colours but the sound of it," Yang added. "So... Neo, was that actually you out there?"

"Mhm. No Beo, all me."

"That's wonderful!" Weiss exclaimed, pulling Neo into a hug. "Does that mean she's gone for good?"

Neo shrugged, "I don't know. I really have no idea how this kind of thing works, but... it seems like she might actually be dead. Or whatever word you'd use for it... I've gotta say, if she really is gone forever, I'm kinda gonna miss her. I know she was a pain in the ass and all, but she's still part of me... It feels weird."

Emerald smiled and put a hand on Neo's shoulder, "Well, we're all here for you. I'm glad to see you're back to normal though. I think we all are."

"That's for sure," Weiss added. "Technically having two fiancees was a little weird."

Neo grinned and gave the heiress a peck on the cheek, "If you say so."

She couldn't help but smile as she pulled away and looked at the supportive faces of her friends. '_Wow... Never in a million years did I think I'd be here. Training to be a Huntress, surrounded by amazing friends, and engaged to the most perfect girl in the world. I've come a long way, and I know I've still got a long way to go, but I know I can handle on whatever life can think to throw at me next._'

The End.

**Final author's note, please read :)**

**Well, there it is guys, the grand finale! Thank you all so much for following this far, you have no idea how much it means to me to see all of you loving my writing. So if you didn't see, I released the first chapter of my next story, so be sure to go to my profile and check it out if you haven't already. I've learned a lot from you guys from writing this, and I'll do my best to make my upcoming stories even better! Make sure you follow, review, PM, whatever it may be, because our helps me improve tremendously, and your support is just amazing. Again, thank you all so much, and I hope to see you all in my next story, and many more stories to come!**

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**Thank you all again, and I'll see you all next chapter in Starting at Checkmate, and eventually in the sequel to A Neo Outlook on Life. :)**


	23. Epilogue

**Hi guys! Haven't seen an update here in a while, huh? Just thought I'd give you guys a couple quick updates and, since it's technically against the rules to post only author's notes as a chapter, a short epilogue to tie into the upcoming sequel.**

**So first and foremost, I went back and corrected all of the grammatical and spelling errors throughout the entire story. So, if you're bored and looking to read through it again, there shouldn't be any errors to take you out of the immersion.**

**Second, if you visit my page, ( dot com slash Novandalis) you can follow me and get more updates and other cool stuff. My sponsors get extra things like early chapters and alternate endings. Also, anyone can vote on monthly one-shots that I'll write that get posted here, but sponsors can also suggest what I write. You don't have to pledge to get notified about updates and stuff, but if you do feel like pledging you'll get plenty of extra rewards. (: A Neo Outlook on Life 2 will be posted there first, so be sure to follow to see it first! It won't be out for while yet, but just letting you know.**

**Finally, I just wanna say that I'm floored by how popular this story has become. As I'm writing this it's approaching 50,000 views, and is currently the first result on Google if you search "RWBY Neo Fanfiction." I never imagined how much you guys ****would like my writing, and I'm so glad I can give you all something that you enjoy reading. You're the best. :) And now, before I get any more emotional, here's the epilogue of A Neo Outlook on Life.**

Epilogue:

"Is that everything?" Neo asked, doing one last look around the room to make sure she hadn't missed anything. Everything was just as clean as it had been when she looked a minute before, but she still liked to be safe.

Emerald rolled her eyes, "Yes, we've gotten everything packed. Now let's go, team RWBY is probably waiting on us."

Neo nodded and grabbed her suitcase, saying one last goodbye to the dorm room. She and the rest of team NEMP hurried out the door and slid their keys into the drop box outside before heading down to meet team RWBY outside their room. As expected the girls were all standing outside in wait for their friends, bags packed and ready to go.

"I still can't believe our first year is already over," Ruby said as the two teams joined up. "It seems like just yesterday I met Weiss... and blew up."

The heiress laughed, "You do know how to make a good first impression." She smiled as Neo walked up and gave her a quick kiss before taking her hand and starting down the hall with the rest of the group. She chuckled again after a moment, "I'm curious Neo, what were you, Emerald, and Mercury doing when school started?"

Mercury shrugged, "Probably stealing something. Big surprise, huh?"

"I think it was another train shipment," Emerald added, looking a little guilty as she addressed Weiss. "It's weird to think we went from robbing your family to staying with you for the summer."

Weiss just smiled, "Hey, you're different people now. Besides, the house we're going to has ten bedrooms. We could bring all eight of us and JNPR too if couples didn't mind sharing."

"I know I wouldn't mind," Yang said, shooting a grin over at Emerald. "But I know dad is really eager to see me and Ruby, but I'm sure we'll come up to visit at some point."

Penny nodded, "My father is excited about having me back as well. He was very nervous about letting me attend school here, and he'll be glad to see how well I've done. Would I also be able to visit if I wanted?"

"Of course," Weiss said, then turned to the last member who hadn't talked about their summer plans. "What about you, Blake? Where are you staying?"

The Faunus girl shrugged, "I'm not sure yet, but I'll find somewhere."

"WHAT?" Ruby exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell us?"

Weiss glared at her raven-haired teammate, "What part of ten bedrooms don't you understand? You're staying at my house."

Blake shook her head, "No, that's alright. I appreciate the offer, but I don't think a Faunus staying at a Schnee household would be a good idea. I don't think your father would be as understanding as he was with Neo if he found out."

"Then you're coming home with me and Ruby," Yang said happily. "I know our dad won't mind, especially since you don't have another place to stay."

"Are you sure? I don't wanna impose."

Ruby smiled, "We insist."

"Alright, thank you," Blake said, returning the smile. "Sometimes I forget how accepting you guys are."

Neo grinned, "Really? There are three ex-criminals walking with you and you forgot that your teammates are accepting of others?" They all laughed and continued the walk to the airships, arriving not long after. The boarded the flight to the larger airport in the city and waved goodbye to the school that had been their home for the better part of a year.

Ruby sighed, "It feels weird leaving. Like, I know I'll you guys again really soon, but it's still strange."

"Not for me," Mercury said with a small shrug. "But then again I've only been here for a few weeks, so there's that."

"Is there ever a time when you're not being sarcastic?" Blake jokingly asked.

Emerald shook her head, "Nope, not really. I'm glad he and Yang don't hang out more, or we'd all probably go insane."

"Aww, what's the matter?" the blonde asked, stealing a quick peck on Emerald's cheek. "Not a fan of my sense of humour?"

"I think I can answer for everyone here," Weiss chimed in. "No, we're not."

Mercury grinned, "In that case, Yang needs to come visit us at the house a lot. We've got work to do."

Weiss groaned, "Please don't... I don't know if I could handle another Yang. Especially one that's a boy."

"Too late!" Yang exclaimed. "It's happening! It was already gonna happen cuz I wanna see Emerald, but now I'll be over even more."

Ruby gave Weiss a pat on the back as the heiress put her head in her hands, "Don't worry, I'll be there too to keep her out of trouble."

"Wonderful, I feel so relieved," her partner sarcastically answered.

"Relax," Neo smiled, kissing Weiss to lift her spirits. "We'll go hang out somewhere quiet while they annoy everyone else."

"Hmm... Now that is something I'd enjoy."

The airship landed not long after their conversion, and the group slowly shuffled through the crowded airport to the long distance terminals. Luckily they'd already checked their luggage back when they boarded the ship at Beacon, so it was already being moved to their next flight, saving them from waiting in another long line. Normally, passengers going on these flights needed to go through security, but Weiss being Weiss meant that they were able to get through with a very minimal search.

Ruby, Blake, and Yang's flight departed only fifteen minutes after they arrived, so the process of saying goodbyes began. Neo and Weiss made them promise to visit and keep in touch over their scrolls, and after quite a few hugs and a couple tears, the trio boarded their flight home. Penny's airship took off a little bit after that, leaving the final four to wait for their flight. Unfortunately for them, it was another hour before it started boarding. They found a booth in the food court to sit and wait, but it wasn't long before the anxiety of going home had them wanting to get up and do something.

Emerald sighed and continued to vigorously tap her fingers on the table. "I miss having our own airship," she said, looking over at Neo. "I miss flying it too, that is when Roman would let me. I was actually starting to get good at it."

Neo stuck out her tongue, "Lucky. He wouldn't let me near the controls because I was too short."

"Well then, I think you two will be very happy once we're home," Weiss interjected with a wide grin. "We have a private airstrip near the house. You're both more than welcome to take one of the ships out for a spin if you know what you're doing."

Emerald's eyes lit up, "That sounds amazing! Thank you so much!"

"Any time. I have a feeling I'm really going to spoil you guys this summer."

Mercury smirked, "Well, when you don't come from very much, just about everything seems nice." He leaned back and stretched his arms above his head, all the while looking around the food court and surrounding terminals. "I think I'm gonna take a walk around, see what all there is to do. Em, wanna come with?"

She nodded and got up with him, but a stern look from Neo stopped them from leaving. "No pickpocketing, okay?" their leader asked, although it was more a command than an actual question. "We're on vacation and Weiss is rich, no need to get us into trouble."

Mercury pretended to have his feelings hurt, "Why, Neo, why would you ever suggest that I'd do such a thing?"

"Knock it off," Emerald said, rolling her eyes. "We'll behave."

They walked away, leaving Neo and Weiss with some time to themselves to chat. Neo smiled, "This is gonna be the best summer ever."

"Oh really?" Weiss asked. "And what makes you say that?"

"Oh, I don't know, nothing really. The giant, private beach house is okay I guess, and having my best friends there is not bad too. I suppose the fact that I'm spending it with my fiancee is alright, but I dunno."

Weiss groaned at her partner's sarcasm, "Please tell me you won't be joining the Yang and Mercury annoyance boat... I don't think I would survive until we go back to school."

"Don't worry, I'm just kidding around. I really am excited though, I get you practically to myself for the whole summer. You'd better believe I've got a few things in store for us."

"Go on," Weiss said in a sexy voice, raising her eyebrows with intrigue.

Neo grinned, "You'll find that out once we're at the house, Emerald and Mercury are outside, and the door is firmly locked."

"I like the sound of that," Weiss purred, leaning forward for a kiss to sate her for the time being. "It still amazes me how much I've changed in the last year. The old Weiss wouldn't approve of any of this, not even in the slightest."

"I'm glad I've got this version of you then. Weiss two-point-o is pretty damn nice. Still a few little kinks here and there, but nothing a future patch can't solve."

"Oh shut up," the heiress giggled. "You've still got a few bugs yourself, but I love you. I wouldn't change anything about you even if I could."

Neo smiled, "I love you too. And I wouldn't want you any other way either."

"I mean, if you ever get the chance to make me less irritable, I wouldn't mind you doing it."

"Nope, not even that. I love you just the way you are."

The heiress blushed, "Sometimes I forget just how lucky I am to have you. What did I ever do to deserve someone as perfect as you?"

"What did you do?" Neo asked, continuing to smile. "You mean what did I do, and it's the same reason that keeps popping up for me. It's the same reason Yang didn't kill me back in the alley after Cinder threw me out, the same reason Ozpin let me into Beacon, and the same reason you agreed to go out with me for lunch that day."

"Is the reason that everyone deserves a second chance?"

"No, I think I'm just lucky, but that definitely sounds nicer." The two laughed for a while before starting to make plans for the rest of the summer. Neo still could hardly believe the twists and turns her life had taken in such a short amount of time, but she never questioned the outcomes. Fate had brought her here, given her nearly everything she could've ever dreamt for, and she was more than happy to let fate continue to lead her forward.


	24. A Neo Outlook on Life II: Sneak Peak

**So uh, yeah... THE SEQUEL IS HERE! Here's a sneak peak of the chapter, the rest is in the new story! You can either search "A Neo Outlook on Life II" or go to my profile to read it! :D**

Chapter 1: A Triumphant Return

The sun began to set over the horizon, dipping down below the line of the ocean and sending a beautiful array of colours through the sky. It was the last day of summer vacation for students attending Beacon. Many of them were taking tonight to relax and reflect on their summers, think about last year, and smile while they thought about the new year would bring. Two girls in particular were standing out on the balcony of their beach house, leaning over the railing and taking in the magnificent sight of the fading light. For them, reflection on the past year was even more meaningful than it was to other.

"Weiss, do you ever wonder what life would be like if things were different?" Neo asked, her mind going back to a day that began devoid of hope, but ultimately turned into the greatest day of her life.

The heiress turned and gave her a confused look, "Different how?"

"Like, what if Cinder hadn't thrown me out that day? What if Yang and Blake had just offed me in the alley instead of taking me to Ozpin? What if Ozpin had turned me in to the police instead of admitting me to Beacon? I wonder sometimes... What if I was still with them?"

"Well, here's what I think," Weiss smiled, leaning over and giving her fiancee a peck on the cheek. "I think with how far you've come after all of that, there's no way you would've stayed with them. You're too good at heart."

Neo chuckled, "True, but Beo wasn't." It felt weird to remember her sister personality now. Ever since their fight for control in her mind, Beo hadn't show up at all. It was definitely a relief to be in total control, but there was still a part of her that missed her.

"I suppose, but even she had a sweet side. What brought this up anyway?"

"Just thinking," Neo shrugged. "It's kinda hard not to." Weiss took a step closer and put her arm around Neo's shoulders, giving a comforting smile. She went to say something, but someone else beat her to it.

"Hey, we offered to let you come back," Mercury grinned from the doorway. He still liked th joke about the past.

Neo turned around and stuck out her tongue, "Did you though? All you and Em said was that she felt bad. I don't think you said she'd take me back."

"Oh please, of course she would've. But you said no. We said she wanted you back, but you turned us down. You'd been at Beacon for all of a day and you were already adamant to stay. Say what you want, but you've definitely got some good in you."

"He's right," Emerald added, stepping out into view from behind him. "And so is Weiss. You were always the good one. I think you would've switched sides regardless. It's Merc and I who should be worried about what would've happened otherwise."

Weiss smiled, "Hey, you could've just killed us like Cinder wanted, but you didn't. You've got some good in you too. I think you're right in doubting Mercury's moral compass though. No offense."

"None taken," the silver-haired boy said with a shrug. "I like to think I would've helped you too."

"You tried to kill us when we escaped!" Neo laughed. "Don't give me that."

He smirked, "True... But I came over in the end, didn't I?" Even thought it was true, he was certainly the most unpredictable out of them. They all knew his loyalty usually stayed with whoever had the most perks. But, at least in the past few months, that seemed to have changed.

"Only because you couldn't get away," Emerald pointed out. "Remember when we met you at the loading docks? You looked like-"

"Alright, alright, let's change the subject," Mercury interrupted. "This is the last day of summer, isn't it? We've got a whole new year ahead of us. Let's talk about that."

Neo smiled, "Agreed. So what're you guys looking forward to the most?"

"Seeing Yang," Emerald immediately replied, starting to blush. "I miss her."

Mercury rolled his eyes, "We had everyone over last weekend! It's been all of a five days since you've seen her."

"So? We only started dating at the end of the school year. It's hard to have a new relationship if you hardly ever see each other. Anyway, I'm interested to hear your answer now. What're you excited for?"

"Um... I dunno," he shrugged. "Sparring class? Kinda miss fighting."

"I'm looking forward to get back to training in general," Weiss chimed in. "What about you, Neo?"

Neo smiled, "I'm looking forward to starting the year off right. No special treatments, no gimmicks, just going to school as a normal girl like everyone else. I'm ready to start making a difference."

"I dunno about you, but I think we made a huge difference," Emerald replied, not sure exactly what Neo meant. "We stopped Roman and Cinder, didn't we? The media pretty much called us heroes for saving the Vytal Festival."

"Well, yeah, but it was also kinda our fault that that happened in the first place." Everyone laughed, and eventually turned their gazes back out over the ocean. The sun had just slipped below the horizon and the hues in the sky had all but faded. Still, Neo found a comfort in looking into the growing darkness. She knew that the next time light shined through, she'd see it fall on Beacon.

Later that night, Neo and Weiss were laying in bed back in their room, and Neo was acting very distant. She was the little spoon tonight, and wasn't being very responsive when Weiss nuzzled up to her. "Neo? Are you okay?" the heiress asked after a moment.

Neo sighed, "Weiss... am I good person?" She still couldn't shake her thoughts from earlier about herself and Cinder. It wasn't that she wanted to think about it, but it kept crawling back to the front of her mind no matter how much she tried to bury it.

"Of course you're a good person. Why wouldn't you think that?"

"I've done a lot of terrible things..." Neo quietly replied, feeling a tear starting to roll down her cheek. She hated remembering those parts of her past, but she couldn't seem to escape them. The memories kept flooding back into her mind. "I've killed a lot of people..."

Weiss frowned and pulled Neo even closer to her, "Think of how many people you've saved. There were tens of thousands of people at the festival. I guarantee you've saved fifty people for every one you've taken out."

"I don't see it like that," Neo said, her voice cracking while she rolled over to face Weiss. "They were all good, innocent people... Soldiers, store owners, civilians... The things I did to them..."

Weiss could see Neo was about to cry, and refused to let it happen. She smiled and pulled her into a kiss, wrapping her arms tightly around the girl's shoulders and trying to make her forget about anything else. "Neo, you're a good person," she said as soothingly as she could. "Your past isn't who you are. You are. And you're the most wonderful person I've ever met. Don't ever forget how far you've come."

Neo blushed and started to smile, "Thanks, Weiss. I love you."

"I love you too. Now, let's get some sleep. We'll be needing it."

**GET HYPED! The rest is in the new story, so go check it out! :)**


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